Barry & Joan

2022

1 hr. 27 min.

Documentary

Biography

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5 Reviews

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Discover Britain's Best Kept Theatrical Secret. He was an incurable performer who loved to cross-dress. She was a dancing piano genius. She spotted his legs when they met in a musical. Seventy-five years later, they are still married, performing, and teaching. This quirky and delightful documentary takes us on a journey through the lives of Barry and Joan Grantham, a British couple with a rich history as performing artists and creators on stage and screen. They are emblems of expressive freedom, having built a repertoire of performance spanning from television and Music Hall to drag and nude theatre. Novices and performing arts professionals alike travel from Europe and the US to hone their skills and expand their craft under the methodical chaos of Barry and Joan's workshops on Vaudeville, Eccentric dance and Commedia dell'Arte. This tale of two national treasures is a rallying cry for uniqueness and self-expression in an increasingly box shaped world.

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Audrey Rumsby

Director

Barry Grantham

Self

Joan Grantham

Self

Eric Pomert

Producer

Audrey Rumsby

Producer

Helena Sardinha

Producer

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Edward Porter

Times (UK)

Loosely structured, it relies a bit too much on its stars’ loveableness, but they do possess that quality in spades.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 8, 2022

Full Review

Robbie Collin

Daily Telegraph (UK)

You... can’t help but admire this duo’s determination not to cede the stage just yet.

Rated: 3/5

May 5, 2022

Full Review

Leslie Felperin

Guardian

The whole package works a treat for theatre geeks, mime fans and lovers of “eccentric dance.”

Rated: 3/5

May 3, 2022

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Veronica Lee

The Arts Desk

Barry & Joan is a delightfully quirky film, informative and funny, and capturing a couple of troupers who are two of our few remaining links to vaudeville. A must for anyone interested in the history of theatre and comedy.

Rated: 3/5

May 6, 2022

Full Review

Dulcie Pearce

The Sun (UK)

There’s plenty of interesting history, anecdotes and insights for variety enthusiasts and those who love to tread the boards.

Rated: 3/5

May 6, 2022

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Synopsis

Discover Britain's Best Kept Theatrical Secret. He was an incurable performer who loved to cross-dress. She was a dancing piano genius. She spotted his legs when they met in a musical. Seventy-five years later, they are still married, performing, and teaching. This quirky and delightful documentary takes us on a journey through the lives of Barry and Joan Grantham, a British couple with a rich history as performing artists and creators on stage and screen. They are emblems of expressive freedom, having built a repertoire of performance spanning from television and Music Hall to drag and nude theatre. Novices and performing arts professionals alike travel from Europe and the US to hone their skills and expand their craft under the methodical chaos of Barry and Joan's workshops on Vaudeville, Eccentric dance and Commedia dell'Arte. This tale of two national treasures is a rallying cry for uniqueness and self-expression in an increasingly box shaped world.

Director: Audrey Rumsby
Executive Producer: Catherine Bonwick
Genre: Documentary, Biography
Original Language: English

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