This moving documentary is as much about The Piano winner’s teacher, Daniel, as it is about her remarkable rise. While their relationship is wonderful to watch, the difficulties they face prove a rotten problem in society
The makers of Channel 4’s reality/talent show The Piano probably thought they had a hit on their hands when they coined the format, but the moment they knew they had cracked it must have been when they found Lucy, a 13-year-old girl from Halifax, West Yorkshire. Blind, neurodivergent and given to throwing her head from side to side during performances in the manner of Stevie Wonder, Lucy was exactly what The Piano – which invited amateurs from around the country to play railway concourse pianos, then arranged for the best ones to do a gig at the Royal Festival Hall – was looking for.
Inevitably, Lucy now stars in a spin-off documentary where we learn more about her and see what happened next. We duly watch Lucy at home and at school, delight in hearing her play a lot more piano – Debussy, Duke Ellington, Bach – and are introduced to her wonderful, loving mother and the teachers and classroom assistants who encourage her every day in matters besides music. But The Incredibly Talented Lucy is not primarily a film about Lucy. It’s about Daniel.
