
In1996,withhispublicimageatalowebbafteramessybreakupwithMiaFarrow,clarinetistandfilmmakerWoodyAllensetoffonatourofEuropewithhisNewOrleansjazzband.Accompanyinghimwerehissister,hissoon-to-bewifeSoon-YiPrevin,andOscar-winningdocumentarymakerBarbaraKopple.LikeAllensaysasthebeginningofthetour,"Theoretically,thisshouldbefunforus."<br/> WoodyAllenhasalwaysbeenmorewidelyappreciatedinEuropethanintheU.S.,soit'snosurprisethattheconcertsquicklyprovokethekindoffanhysteriausuallyreservedforrockstars.Thisstarhoweverisclearlynotcomfortablewithhisfame.Whetherhe'sgivingatourofhislavishhotelsuiteorproddingatanunexpectedlydryomelet,thedirectorseemsprofoundlyillateaseandsometimes--whentrappedbyacrowdorharassedbyaparticularlypersistentphotographer--heappearstobebothfrightenedandangryatthewaycelebrityshapeshislife.Thepressuretobefunnyoncueisthebaneofanycomedian'slife,ofcourse,andforAllentheseeminglyendlessroundofreceptionsandpartiesissomethingtobeendured,notenjoyed.Inthefaceofthis,themutualsupportandaffectionsharedbyAllenandthewomanheintroducesas"thenotoriousSoon-YiPrevin"comesacrossasbothgenuineandabsolutelynecessary.Whentheyaretogether,heisathisfunniest,andhisleastguarded.<br/> Whatpersuadedsuchaprivateartisttoallowsuchadocumentarytobemade?Perhapsitwasadesiretocelebratehisloveofmusic,somethingthatappearstosustainhimasmuchashisrelationshipwithSoon-Yi.Hemayrefusetobobhisheadandtaphisfeettopleasehisaudience,butwhenhelaunchesintoasoaringsolowefinallyseeAllenatease,transportedbythethrillofplayingjazz.--SimonLeake



