 The Times said it was " a very Sparksian undertaking – painstaking and slightly ludicrous – to make a musical about an art @-@ house film director , with a very complicated plot , for the radio ( even Rick Wakeman ’ s King Arthur on Ice had something to look at ) . " It said the orchestral arrangements by Ron Mael were " great , actually , recalling the skyscraper bustle of Bernstein and the triumphant fanfares of Michael Nyman " , and stated that " the central concept – pursue your own idea of art , regardless of whether anyone will buy it – seems to be their rule of thumb , too . And you can 't knock that . " The review by Stephen Dalton , also in The Times , found the " modernist musical backdrop " dominated by " electro @-@ orchestral fragments " " less seductive " and , " despite plenty of arch and witty lyrics " , regretted the scarcity of " memorable melodies or fully realised songs " . Dalton concluded that the work was " not wholly successful , perhaps , but still an alluringly barmy and glamorous affair " , and a " fascinating folly from two enduringly inventive oddballs " . 
