Chris Eldon Lee reviews ‘Rudy’s Rare Record’, which is at Birmingham Repertory Theatre until Saturday 20th September before transferring to The Hackney Empire.
Dear old Radio 4 has been a springboard for countless TV comedies…but seeing one of it’s most popular sit coms transferred to the live stage is a new delight. How the audience howled!
‘Rudy’s Rare Records’ has run for four series on the wireless and the brave decision to extend the art form from 30 minutes to 150 has completely paid off. There’s very little about this evening that resembles a conventional theatre play. As the script admits, the plot hinges on some jolly familiar clichés. In fact, the show has a distinct Caribbean casualness to its construction … but the gags are razor sharp, the characters are charismatic and the reggae music warm, with a Rap about Jasper Carrot thrown in.
Like the radio show, its success depends on its script and stars and Larrington Walker and Lenny Henry – as father and son Rudy and Adam – are truly stellar. The remarkably young looking TV comedian is emerging as a really great actor. Henry appears completely unselfconscious on stage, delivering pathos and punch lines with relaxed perfection. All those years of stand up have done wonders for his timing.
But the old RSC actor is frequently funnier. It was Walker who had a high-octane audience in absolute hysterics from the off. Huge sections of the stalls were completely out of control…and when they answered back, he rode the moment like a seasoned professional.
Whilst the story is ostensibly about saving Rudy’s record store from the demolition ball swinging over the stage, it’s really about the difficulties of father and son relationships … largely based on Henry’s own family experiences. The arrival of Rudy’s grandson (chirpily played by Joivan Wade) adds another generation of diffidence. The awkwardness between the raucousnesses are beautifully played by all three.
Danny Robin’s script makes some wider telling points. Adam has an unsuccessful acting career behind him, blighted by always been cast as a mugger because of his skin. The only variation was an appearance in Casualty as an injured mugger. He was however the first black actor to appear on Midsommer Murders – as a mugger.
Racial hated also raises it’s ugly head…mainly through Rudy’s reminiscences. With some wonderfully witty dialogue he rues the lack of attention the Caribbean community gets now that racism is directed at Muslims and East Europeans. And the demise of neighbourhood society to ugly globalisation is reflected in the decline of his vinyl business. The shop doesn’t get a single customer in the entire show. I-tunes and Amazon are to blame.
In the first half, the third best reggae wedding in Handsworth is tantalisingly tucked away in an upstage, egg-box-lined rehearsal studio. But after the interval they are unleashed for a fully-fledged concert fronted by Henry, Wade and Rudy’s soul singing love interest Doreen, brassily played by Lorna Gayle. In panto style, all the problems are resolved and there’s dancing in aisles.
My one regret was the lack of black faces in the audience. My big delight was that such a deeply ‘black’ comedy was wolfed down by its Caucasian customers.
Visit www.birmingham-rep.co.uk for information about Birmingham Rep.