Theatre Review: Randy Writes A Novel Confronts Our Addiction To Fame

Heath McIvor’s Randy Writes A Novel is raunchy, rowdy, rambunctious, and revealing. Randy Feltface is one of the top comedians in Austrailia, and he is also a puppet. His bug eyes, purple, svelte skin, and chick-pea head lead to a gully of laughs, but also quiet prods of thought; is it bad to have normal life?

We find Randy having a sort of “breakdown”; believing his novel is not yet worth global adoration. Such insecurity, for the next 90 minutes, seems very natural to Randy’s personality. This show’s charm relies on its audience participation, and Randy calls you out if you are opening a wrapper for too long, pick up your cellphone, are walking out to the bathroom, or decide to heckle and laugh too loud. Actually, he encourages all those things to the glee of the crowd. With a simple set of a desk and manuscript, the audience felt like they were the “Broadway show”, which they were. Yet, they were also ploys for something Randy does often: avoid his issues.

Drugs, divorce, and abject poverty have roughly hit the potty-mouthed, but charismatic and exuberant puppet, which is why he sees his novel as an opportunity for redemption and permission to dream again. Yet, as the play goes along, Randy inadvertently questions his addiction to fame. For instance, he discusses the life of Hemingway, and how most people ignore that he was an addict, misogynist, and a failed KGB spy with some hateful tendencies (particularly in terms of self-loathing), but also a war hero who loved boxing, fishing, and survived several, personal injuries along with the suicides of his closest relatives. In essence, he was a life of many highs and many lows, but all we remember are the few books he left. He is a literary legend, but not many know the human being, which makes Randy wonder whether all that you are becomes irrelevant, in meaning, compared to how you are remembered. In some ways, Hemingway explains Randy’s desire to write a novel.

There is a saying that comedy is simply the choice to laugh at tragedy, and Randy has a lot to laugh at. Yet, his purpose to write an excellent, best-selling novel stems from his desire to cover up his many mistakes so that one day, like Hemingway, everyone can recall his art and forget his failures. Yet, as the 90 minutes tick away, Randy realizes that your acclaimed work may “erase” your sins to the public eye but they do not erase them in your mind. Fame runs on the image people have of you, but Randy Writes A Novel is a hilarious, subtle confrontation on the image you have yourself.

Is a normal life that bad? Does fame really make you happy? The answer is no to both, but whether you feel that is true is also apart of your journey. Randy Writes A Novel is funny and poignant in showing how a broken “man”/ puppet discovers that fame is public but happiness is private. For More Information On Randy Writes A Novel Click Here. It is playing till June 10 at The Clurman Theatre Located On 410 WEST 42ND STREET.