Richard & Tom, US
Rain Man
Tel No: N/A
Nearest Tube Station: Leicester Square
Review Rating:
Posted on 10th October 2008
When I first heard that Josh Hartnett was taking to the stage in London, my heart - like the rest of London's gay men - literally skipped a beat. There is no denying that Hartnett is one of Hollywood's finest beauties. However, when I heard that he was starring in the stage version of hit movie 'Rain Man', I was left somewhat dubious.
The play follows the same plot as the film, recounting the tale of how Charlie Babbitt (Josh Hartnett) discovers the existence of a brother, Raymond (Adam Godley) following the death of his estranged father. Charlie finds out that his brother is both autistic and in line to inherit the entire family fortune, spurring Charlie on to win custody of Raymond and steal the money.
Ultimately dispensing with the road movie theme that drives the original movie, the stage version resorts to a structure more episodic in nature. Although this does betray the overall original storyline, the believing and touching relationship that Hartnett and Godley conjure up on stage makes up for it.
Godley's portrayal of the institutionalised Raymond is both physically and emotionally excellent. His jerky speech and lumbering walk is convincing and competes well with Dustin Hoffman's Oscar-winning performance in the film. Although Hartnett has not acted on stage since his college days, his interpretation of the unsympathetic Babbitt is beautifully done.
Overall, the stage version is well done and although there were some technical issues, the night was enjoyable and entertaining.
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