Ewan McGregor is superb as Ibsen meets Succession
If you want My Master Builder reviewed in just three words it's Ibsen meets Succession. Lila Raicek has taken it upon herself to radically redesign the Norwegian playwright's 1892 drama The Master Builder. She switches the action to the present-day Hamptons where Ewan McGregor plays an achingly trendy architect struggling to keep his career and sanity intact as his family and competitors plot against him.
His embittered wife (Kate Fleetwood) invites Mathilde (Elizabeth Debicki, the later of two Princess Dianas in The Crown) to a party and it emerges she has a sinister ulterior motive: her invitee is an ex of her husband intent on revenge.
McGregor's missus, meanwhile, has her eyes on a rival architect – played by David Ajala – whose Speedos have also won the admiration of her assistant (Mirren Mack).
It's a twisted climbing frame of human misery that Raicek has constructed and the actors make the most of it: McGregor is on great form – world-weary and despairing – and the women, all with their own agendas, are all magnificently brought to life.
A play about architects cries out for startlingly good sets and Richard Kent rises magnificently to the occasion, evoking sunny days at the Hamptons every bit as impressively as its central character's vast glass towers. Michael Grandage as director gives all the talents involved the chance to shine and it makes for a uniquely satisfying night of theatre. After directing the film My Policeman and now My Master Builder, it can surely only be a matter of time before he revives My Beautiful Launderette.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
7 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Our TV experts have picked the 20 hottest TV shows and films available to stream right now, from the return of a Netflix favourite to a Hollywood action sequel fresh from cinemas
Running out of shows to binge? Never fear! US family drama Ginny & Georgia is back for season three, while the finale of Guy Ritchie 's new gangster drama series MobLand, starring Tom Hardy, and , is out now. More of a film buff? We've got you covered, with Succession creator Jesse Armstrong 's movie directing debut and the action-packed sequel to The Accountant, featuring Ben Affleck.
Scotsman
12 hours ago
- Scotsman
Warning over classroom game accused of 'brainwashing' UK schoolchildren
Campaigners have accused the educational game of targeting children with 'propaganda' 💻 Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... EnergyTown is an online city builder game aimed at helping UK schools teach pupils about the energy system It is funded by energy giant Equinor, and hosts yearly school competitions Materials associated with the game describe renewable energy sources as 'less reliable' Climate campaigners accuse it of targeting children with fossil fuel propaganda But Equinor says the game demonstrates how the green energy transition is about balance Environment campaigners have sounded the alarm over a free online game being marketed to UK schoolchildren - which they say is designed to make them feel more positively about fossil fuels. EnergyTown is funded by Norwegian energy giant Equinor. Aimed at children aged nine to 14, it comes with free educational resources to be used in lessons. It allows them to build and power a city that will survive until the year 2050 - while juggling factors like their 'green score', community happiness, and finances. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The game first launched in October 2023, and as of last year, Equinor said that it had reached more than 81,400 pupils across the UK. The game also holds a schools competition with a £1,000 cash prize, with this year's event set to close on Friday (June 6). But Greenpeace accuses it of being an attempt to 'brainwash schoolchildren'. The game suggests that oil can be part of a green energy mix, and in an online help page - titled 'how to improve your score in EnergyTown - on the game's Equinor-funded host site, it warns young players that renewable energy is 'less reliable'. The EnergyTown game is marketed towards UK schoolchildren, and funded by energy giant Equinor | (Image: National World/Adobe Stock/Getty/AFP via Getty) 'If you're relying on electricity from renewable energy resources like wind and solar power, you may have less electricity due to these energy resources being less reliable,' the page says. 'You should invest in a more reliable way to generate electricity, such as nuclear, oil, natural gas or hydrogen.' Equinor is also the majority owner of the controversial Rosebank oil and gas field development, 80 miles west of Shetland, which is thought to be the largest untapped oilfield in UK waters. In January this year, its consent was quashed by the Scottish Court of Session as unlawful, the BBC reports, meaning its owners must seek fresh approval from the UK Government before they begin extracting oil. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But the project has been widely protested by campaigners, who say that new oil and gas projects are not compatible with the UK's climate commitments. 'We know exactly what Equinor is playing at,' Mel Evans, the head of Greenpeace UK's climate team, said. 'This so-called educational game is a thinly-disguised attempt to greenwash oil and gas by targeting children with fossil fuel propaganda. The bitter irony is that while fossil fuels may help build a 'sustainable' energy future in the game's fictional world, they're driving more devastating floods in some of these schoolkids' communities,' she continued. 'For that reason alone, this cynical PR ploy is doomed to fail. We know many young children know a lot about the climate crisis and what's driving it. If Equinor wants to win young hearts and minds, it should get serious about ditching fossil fuels and shifting to clean energy.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Equinor spokesperson Magnus Frantzen Eidsvold told us that the game was part of Equinor's ordinary activities and programs 'to stimulate the interest in science and technology (STEM) among young people, and not developed as part of any Rosebank campaign'. 'Equinor wants to contribute to ensuring the next generation is equipped with the skills needed to drive the energy industry and transition forward,' he continued. The game had been developed using data from the International Energy Agency (IEA), which verified the scenarios used in EnergyTown to 'ensure they are realistic and representative of the UK's current energy system'. The game was designed to reflect this complexity and showed that the energy transition was about balance, he added, requiring a mix of sources over time. 'The IEA forecast that fossil fuels may be required in 2050 especially in areas where renewables alone can't meet demand. EnergyTown is not about endorsing any one solution, rather it's about equipping the next generation with knowledge to make better decisions.' The game was developed by marketing agency We Are Futures, and was quality-asserted for UK schoolchildren by the Association for Science Education (ASE). We have approached both organisations for comment. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
Scottish Sun
15 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Exact date beloved Scottish venue to reopen after devastating closure
Several Hollywood stars from across the globe backed the three-year campaign to save it Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) AN ICONIC Scottish venue is set to reopen in weeks after being forced to close three years ago. Edinburgh's Filmhouse almost closed for good back in October 2022 after its parent charity, Centre for the Moving Image, collapsed. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 The Filmhouse in Edinburgh is set to reopen this month Credit: PA 4 It has undergone a £2million refurbishment 4 It comes after it was forced to close three years ago Credit: Alamy But a lengthy campaign was launched to save it, and over time it was pulled "back fae the brink" of closure. The beloved cinema first opened in 1978 in a repurposed church, but was feared to have been lost for good when it closed. Several Hollywood stars from across the globe backed the three-year campaign as they helped fight to save it. This includes Scottish icons such as Mary Queen of Scots star Jack Lowden, director Charlotte Wells, Love Actually actress Emma Thompson, Emmy award-winning actor Dougray Scott and Succession star Brian Cox. The Filmhouse cinema, located on Lothian Road, has undergone a huge £2 million refurbishment and is now set to reopen on Friday, June 27. The revamp has seen a complete internal refit to all of its public areas and screens, and "substantial" repairs made to the roof and stonework. After months of hard work, the incredible team at Filmhouse have managed to pull one of Scotland's few truly independent cinemas back fae the brink Jack Lowden It also saw more seats added, meaning the cinema now has a capacity for 350 super-comfy seats which each has extra legroom. The foyer space and the bar have also been renovated, and there is now room for 100 people to dine and enjoy food and drinks from a new menu that focuses on sustainable produce from the UK. A second phase of works is set to be carried out next month, which will see a fourth screen added to the venue. This newest screen will be used primarily for "private screenings", according to BBC Scotland News, and will have 24 seats. Inside 'world's largest cinema' the 'Big King' with 2,700-seater triple-decker 'grand hall' and giant 3,000sq ft screen When it opens again in three weeks, it will show a list of some of the most iconic films that were missed while it was closed. Lowden, who also starred in Dunkirk, said the reopening will give a much-needed "lift" to the film industry. He said: "Filmhouse is a place utterly dedicated to the promotion and celebration of independent cinema. "Films need to be watched, not just made. Now, after months of hard work, the incredible team at Filmhouse have managed to pull one of Scotland's few truly independent cinemas back fae the brink. "To have such a place on the streets of our capital providing the platform to give our world-class film-makers and storytellers the lift-off they need, and continue to ask the big questions of ourselves through cinema, is exciting and vital." Andrew Simpson, executive director of Filmhouse, added that the cinema is now returning with a "fresh energy and clear plan". He said: "The love for Filmhouse never went away, it was just waiting to be reignited. "The incredible response to its closure showed us how vital this space is, not just for Edinburgh, but for audiences across Scotland and beyond. LONG TIME COMING PLANS to reopen the cinema first began to take shape when bosses signed a new lease in July last year. Caledonian Heritable, who own the building, agreed the lease it back as a space for a modern cinema for a minimum of 25 years. Works quickly began seven months later after the team managed to secure extra funding. This included £324,000 from the Open the Doors crowdfunding campaign, £1.5million from the UK government. The team also managed to secure £977,925 in donations from Screen Scotland and £1,243,312 from Creative Scotland over the next three years. Refurbishment works started in February early this year, and a second phase is set to finish the project off in July. "We are returning with fresh energy, a clear plan for the future and a commitment to delivering world-class film experiences for everyone. "Filmhouse belongs to its community and we're excited to welcome people back." While Margaret Graham, culture and communities convener at Edinburgh City Council, praised the reopening at "wonderful" for the city. She added: "I am sure that many people across Edinburgh and beyond will be looking forward to this event. "This much-loved cinema is both a community hub and cultural asset for the city. "Its refurbishment will allow even more people to enjoy the magic of global cinema in the heart of the city."
