Image: www.fringeworld.com.au
Rambling, ranting flights of fancy, all part of a puppet’s book reading session
“Walking to Skye” is the debut novel of Randy, purple puppet best known for his stand up and lie down comedy routines. Randy has put much time and effort into this work, and is understandably anxious about how it will be received by the public. Looking for feedback, he turns to what he does best – a live comedy show, incorporating readings from his intensely personal literary creation.
Before launching into the reading itself, Randy gives us a taste of his old tricks, fixing his bulging eyes at random points in the audience and being disconcerting enough to engage individuals in direct conversation. He brings the laughs with local references, and more general wishes for honest real estate development naming generally. He then builds up a joke about WA and secession by holding a big mirror to the points that interstate visitors notice when they come to Perth, to slightly uneasier laughter.
Returning to literary themes, he pulls away from his manuscript to deliver a breathtaking biography of Ernest Hemingway in 3 and a half minutes, before considering the benefits of masturbation as a form of procrastination, the outrageously high pay of UFC fighters and the vacuity of young yoga instructors who promote “mindfulness”. The difficulties of Buddhism and the nature of enlightenment segue into the story of Harper Lee’s publishing career and musings on the nature of literary genius, including the concept of artistic legacy, and the nature of death and life. If this were not enough, the next reading attempt is delayed by facts and figures about veganism and carnism, a riveting anecdote about buying a bookshelf off Gumtree and ruminations on the relative satisfactions of truth and fiction.
What is particularly amazing about the performance of Randy in sliding around behind an ironing board and keeping a whole tent entranced, however, is that this avalanche of stand up comedy is being delivered by a puppet manipulated by a man ducked down behind a sheet. The mannerisms of Randy as he puts down hecklers, runs with themes that take his fancy and airs his gripes and grievances with the world around him are all skilfully portrayed hand puppetry, bringing an unlikely star to life.
Whether Randy is much good as an author is up to individual judgement, but as an entertainer the little purple guy is hard to beat. A welcome return to FringeWorld’s comedy line up, content and delivery are perfect throughout.
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
Randy Writes A Novel
Presented by Laughing Stock Productions
De Parel Spiegeltent, Urban Orchard, Perth Cultural Centre
1-7 February 2016
Part of FringeWorld 2016
