The Agent opens in London

I am very happy to report that The Agent will open at London's BFI Southbank on September 18th, 2009, following a release in Scotland to coincide with the Edinburgh Book Festival in August.

The Agent blog review by Juliet E McKenna

There is a long review of The Agent by writer Juliet E McKenna on her blog at http://jemck.livejournal.com/80826.html. An extract:

Crucially, the conviction of both actors makes these two men and their standoff engaging for those with no interest in the book business. The human drama is compelling, as both men are by turns unexpectedly likeable and then surprisingly unsympathetic, as they betray themselves out of their own mouths. Writers will identify with Stephen’s desperation but should be wary of sympathy for his sense of entitlement. Agents will applaud Alexander’s commercial acumen but I don’t know one who wouldn’t advise him to cut his hopelessly extended client list. In part both men are justified, when they attack each other’s attitudes. Equally, both are missing their own culpability. 

How will this circle they’re trapped in ever be satisfactorily squared? Not in the way you think. The best writing has a splinter of ice at its heart and so does this film. The third actor credited is Maureen Lipman. While she’s only briefly heard and seen, the sincerity of her performance is vital to the final act. In the light of everything that’s been said and done to that point, the conclusion ensures the film becomes an order of magnitude more complex and thought-provoking. Earlier throwaway lines assume vastly more significance. 

The Agent in Bradford

The Agent had its first two UK screenings as part of the Bradford International Film Festival this week. It was the first time we have shown the final version of the film which now runs at 80 minutes with a remixed soundtrack. The audiences seemed to love it and as always there was a lively discussion about writers and agents after the screenings.

From the festival office:

"From October onwards, the Festival Selection Committee spends long, square-eyed evenings whittling the hundreds of submitted films to find the core of our Previews and Premieres. It’s always an absolute joy when a film grabs you instantly, announcing itself with confidence and style in the opening minutes – and The Agent is just such a film – a witty, sparky delight from start to finish."

Another Agent review

Review of The Agent by Tom Vincent, programmer of The Bradford International Film Festival.

"The story of a frustrated writer and his agent, The Agent is a smart two-hander with a nimble, well-paced script, spot-on performances, and some compelling arguments. Skilled but self-doubting writer Stephen hasn’t heard from his agent Alexander in the four months since sending in the final draft of his new novel, Black. Grasping the nettle, Stephen hotfoots it to Alexander’s office to demand a response. What, he asks, gives Alex the right to decide what people should read? And why do so many worthless books make money? Flustered, Alexander brushes away the questions away, but an ultimatum soon develops…
Debutante director Lesley Manning’s The Agent makes it to the screen via a hit source play, which enjoyed a successful run at London’s Trafalgar Studios in summer ‘07. And though it’s easy to appreciate The Agent’s origins as theatre, Manning brings a great deal of filmic nous to her adaptation, making it thoroughly satisfying as cinema. There’s the great sense of pace in the super-honed script and in Manning’s own lively editing. Lead actors Kennedy and Beck, both veterans from the play, have fun with our shifting sympathies and flesh out fascinating roles with real conviction. They’re really intriguing characters: both men are, after all, merely doing their jobs to the best of their abilities. The trouble is art and commerce are sometimes uneasy bedfellows.
There are many great arguments running through The Agent: how should an artist cope when their work becomes a commodity, should agents worry about standards of ‘art’, could we think about art be different in a re-imagined world? That these ideas are explored with such wit and energy as in The Agent is to be celebrated. Watching it is like the most exciting day at work you never had."

The Agent in Bradford

The screening dates at the Bradford International Film Festival are confirmed:
Wednesday 18th March at 5.45pm
Thursday 19th March at 10.30am
Both are at the Pictureville Cinema.
Details are here.
From festival brochure: "A frustrated novelist visits his slippery agent to ask him: just what is it that he does all day? Interesting and entertaining from the get-go, this zips along in fine talky fashion to a heart-racing, office-bound showdown. A smart two-hander with a nimble, well-paced script, ‘just-right’ performances, and a gripping set-up – in 80 minutes who could ask for more?"

The Agent goes to Bradford

The first public screening of the brand new 80-minute version of The Agent with the final soundtrack will premiere at the 15th Bradford International Film Festival (March 13-28, 2009). Dates and times will be announced shortly.