Reviews

TV Review: Stephen Fry – A Life on Screen

10 January 2016

By James

In BBC2’s new documentary, offered as part of the “fascinating lives” series, a good look is taken at the life and work of one of the country’s most venerable national institutions.

From school productions of Macbeth to documentaries about bipolar disorder, Fry’s story is told with the help of clips from the actor’s work, as well as interviews with Hugh Laurie, Alan Davies, Michael Sheen and Hermione Norris, not forgetting the great man himself. The whole programme is less of a personal story than a catalogue of works and loosely connected anecdotes, all accompanied by footage and photographs, but that isn’t to say that it doesn’t make entertaining viewing.

The documentary focuses on the less well-known aspects of Fry’s career, looking at his role as the eponymous figure in Wilde, his directorial debut in Bright Young Things and his travelogue through all the states of America, as well as his most recent work presenting QI, from which he is retiring after thirteen years. All in all, it’s a funny but not particularly innovative look at an entertaining figure: it’s more valuable as a highlights-reel than a documentary of note.

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