Reviewing Rain Man
With a cast and creative team that have kept the press in ink and paper for the past few months, Show and Stay® went to find out what all the fuss was about. Rain Man; best left as a film or theatrical masterpiece?
Nestled between the Lyric and the Gielgud, the faces of Josh Hartnett and Adam Godley adorn the front of the Apollo theatre; announcing the arrival of Rain Man, beacons to the swarms of tourists buzzing around Piccadilly Circus.
Fighting through the gaggle of young and well-dressed women loitering outside the theatre and in the foyer, I made my way to the auditorium. The Apollo is an intimate theatre spread across 4 tiers. Ornate cherubs and gilded mouldings decorate the walls, off-set by the ruby red chairs. The curtain is up, three busy desks stand abandoned. Papers are strewn haphazardly amongst pencils, phones and empty cups; a scene of quiet chaos.
Music starts and the stage is plunged into darkness. When the lights are abruptly brought back they reveal Josh Hartnett centre-stage, animatedly chattering on his hands-free device. A young woman sits to his left busily calming a client over the phone. So this is Charlie Babbit and his less than scrupulous car dealership.
It is amidst this cacophony that Charlie receives the call regarding his father's death. His arrogance is masked, if what briefly, by shock. A flurry of activity ensues as they arrange the details of his trip to his father's home. Charlie's stoic girlfriend Susan, played by Mary Stockley, is to join him for the journey and with that the stage moves seamlessly to the next scene. Punctuated by dimming lights and spots on the characters in question, side flats slide silently into various positions forming a false proscenium and denoting a change in location. The design by Jonathan Fensom is inspired, each location punctuated with sets and props worthy of a Hollywood film. The hotel room in Las Vegas is a particular stroke of genius and comes complete with a breathtaking panoramic view that is slowly revealed to the audience. In fact this unveiling creates a real sense of vertigo, no mean feat when sat on ground level, row F of the Apollo Theatre.
Confronted with stacks of boxes and a vast Gothic-looking door, it is evident that we are in the Babbit household. Nervously pacing, Charlie is quizzed about his childhood as Susan tries to piece together any family information she can prise out of him. It is here we first hear of his father's love for his rose bushes and the 1948 Buick convertible that was the envy of Charlie during his youth. Interrupted by the family lawyer, Susan is discarded to "water the roses" whilst Charlie hears of his inheritance. Much to his dismay (and believe me when I say his language painted a pretty filthy picture) Charlie learns that his father's $3 million fortune is to be left to an unnamed beneficiary and that he is to get only the Buick and custody of the roses.
Angered by his apparent lack of inheritance, Charlie seeks confirmation from family-friend Dr Bruener (Colin Stinton). It is within the walls of the Walbrook Institute that Charlie learns of, and meets, his brother and beneficiary to their father's fortune, Raymond, played by Adam Godley. It is from this point that Charlie hatches a scheme to kidnap his brother in an attempt to get his hands on at least half the money.
Based on real-life savant Kim Peek, Raymond Babbit is severely autistic and Godley portrays this vastly misunderstood condition with poise, clarity and grace. He quite literally steals the show from his very first entrance, creating an instant empathy that takes a film several thousand frames to produce. Godley's very physical performance is the complete antidote to Hartnett's focused vocal performance. Hartnett speaks with such rapidity whilst Godley commands attention with his precise phrasing, a ying to Hartnett's yang. The chemistry between the two leading men is tangible and vastly stronger than that of Hartnett and Stockley.
Although Hartnett has received a mixed response from critics, his performance was solid. His stilted manner and poignant pauses were more directorial choices rather than not committing to the moment and emphasised the nuances of Charlie that are far easier to capture on film.
By the close of Act One the audience have been treated to the naked torso of Josh Hartnett (which drew an audible gasp from every lady in the audience) as well as the blossoming relationship between the two brothers. Susan, fed up of Charlie's apparent disregard for his brother's condition, has returned home, leaving the two to continue their journey across America alone. Just before the curtain drops we hear a little more of the Babbit family history and begin to understand just why Raymond was moved to an institution.
Act Two picks up right where the first left off, following the brothers to Las Vegas where Charlie convinces Raymond to help him cheat at the casino and Raymond learns to dance. For those who don't know the story I won't reveal much more, only to say that the moment Raymond and Charlie dance together is one of the most poignant of the production and a real pivotal moment for their relationship, a mark to how close they have become.
One thing that is abundantly clear about this production is the pride and passion the cast have for the story. Dan Gordon has updated the script for the twentieth century, with sporadic nods to recent cultural events and people. Hartnett and Godley make for an interesting coupling, working well and bouncing off each other appropriately in the comical moments in the play, delivered with expert timing.
So Rain Man; best left as a film or theatrical masterpiece. A true masterpiece in my opinion and a production I will definitely be going back to see as much as I can during its time in London. I urge you to see this play and I defy anyone that is not blown away by the sheer majesty of Adam Godley's performance and touched by the intimate relationship between him and Hartnett.
Please note that due to the content of this production and excessive swearing children under the age of 5 will not be permitted in the auditorium. Show and Stay would recommend Rain Man to anyone aged 15 and over.
Published by: Sam Gilmartin
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