The story traces the relationship of a maverick entrepreneur and his colleague over a period of 20 years. It follows the shifting power balance between them as their careers rise and fall through the changing corporate landscape from the beginning of the Thatcher years to the rise of the electronic age and the dot-com bubble.
It is 1981 and Paul Reynolds, a Gatsby-like figure, is the young, wealthy owner of a magnificent country house, a host of great parties, and the patron of eccentrics. He is a collector of interesting people, a visionary with dreams of new urban landscapes, wind power, airships and questions about why the crocodile has survived unchanged for two millennia.
He persuades Lizzie Thomas, a secretary at a local estate agents, to come and work for him as his assistant, to bring some order into his chaotic and hedonistic existence. Once at his country house her world expands – she meets academics, poets, artists, revolutionaries, libertarians and politicians. It is here that she first encounters Sneath, a social chameleon and born survivor, who is always there as events unfold and available to tell the story later.
Paul inspires Lizzie with his enthusiasm and imagination, and frustrates her with his apparent carelessness and destructiveness, which culminates in her calling the police as a great party is turned over by local troublemakers, seemingly with Paul's tacit approval. Paul's Eden seems destined to self-destruct – a terrible row ensues between them and they part company vowing never to speak or see each other again.
Some years later they do meet again, by chance, in London. Following this first awkward encounter their paths are destined to cross again and again as Lizzie, with the help of some of those she met at Paul's house, rises through the changing landscape of corporate Britain and Paul continues to pursue his dreams and create another Eden for himself.
Now that the seemingly unstoppable impetus to change, rationalise and modernise has taken root, technology and everyone is moving on – nothing is permanent or constant. However, eventually one certainty does become apparent and Lizzie and Paul come to accept that despite everything that has happened they were born to work together.
The story is an examination of the nature of personal relationships where work and ideas are more powerful drivers than sexual emotions. In his inimitibale style, Poliakoff combines cinematic panorama with moments of great intimacy as he takes an epic sweep through Britain's recent past and creates an unforgettable story.
No comments:
Post a Comment