In the Loop

If Armando Iannucci’s political farce about the road to war through the corridors of power weren’t so funny, it would be utterly terrifying.When a British cabinet minister, Simon Foster, comments publicly that he thinks war is “unforeseeable,” the result is an immediate bollocking from Malcolm Tucker, the prime minister’s testy bulldog pushing for war. Unable to clarify his position, Simon is sent to Washington, where, trying desperately to be important, he meets Karen Clark, a U.S. State Department official, and General Miller, who see him as a transatlantic partner in building a consensus against war. They search for a secret war committee, led by Karen’s hawkish colleague, Linton Barwick. And as farce demands, all parties eventually converge for a climactic shuffle between rooms, in this case at the United Nations. Wickedly sardonic and filled with secrets, lies, leaks, plugs, and faulty intelligence and walls, In the Loop leads us behind closed doors to reveal bungling bureaucrats entangled in petty rivalries, obsequious aides jockeying for favor, and the Keystone Cops of government, including a minister who hopes there’s no war because it’s bad enough coping with the Olympics, and an unscrupulous bureaucrat who doctors intelligence because he believes that “in the land of truth, the man with one fact is king.”But don’t worry. None of this actually happened! It’s just British comedy.
CAST
Peter Capaldi, James Gandolfini, Tom Hollander, David Rashe, Gina McKee, Chris Addison, Anna Chulmsky, Mimi Kennedy

Armando Iannucci - Armando Iannucci is acclaimed as one of the most influential comedy writers and producers in Britain. He wrote and directed the BAFTA-winning shows I'm Alan Partridge (starring Steve Coogan) and the political comedy The Thick of It, as well as fronting his own satirical shows, The Friday Night Armistice for BBC 2 and The Armando Iannucci Shows for Channel 4. His spoof news show The Day Today (with Chris Morris) earned him a unique Special Jury British Comedy Award in recognition of his distinctive contribution to radio and television comedy.

Screenings:

Thu. Jan 22 6:15 p.m. - INTHE22CE Eccles Theatre, Park City
Fri. Jan 23 9:15 a.m. - INTHE23CM Eccles Theatre, Park City
Sat. Jan 24 9:00 p.m. - INTHE24SN Screening Room, Sundance Resort
Sun. Jan 25 12:30 p.m. - INTHE25GD Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center, SLC