They say everyone has at least one novel in them. Well, after being married, divorced, arrested, kidnapped and thrown from a moving hovercraft, the occasionally sober Randy has finally decided to pen his own. The problem is he has no idea if it’s any good.
In the new off Broadway comedy, Randy Writes A Novel, playing now at Theatre Row's Clurman Theatre, Randy - a bald, purple puppet with a quick wit and a sharp tongue- valiantly attempts a public reading. He is repeatedly detoured by his own philosophical musings and vitriolic ramblings.
Randy is beloved worldwide for his hilarious unpredictability. He's quirky and prone to outbursts. His delivery is impeccable and he welcomes audience interaction, responding to hecklers with lightning-quick humor, turning comments into opportunities for even more funny stories and remarks.
He's no amateur to comedy. In fact, he’s headlined with Neil Patrick Harris in Montreal, starred on his own Netflix show in the UK, and has been nominated for the Australian equivalent of an Emmy. The show is, however, his first foray into New York theatre. He describes it as a book tour hosted by a sociopathic buddhist monk with a foul-mouth and a Hemingway complex and cautions, "The city that never sleeps will need a nap after I’m done with it."
Randy Writes A Novel is produced by Emerging Artists Theater and Red Spear Productions. It features lighting by Roger Cooper and sound by Adam Weinstock.
In the past thirteen years, Randy has given birth to half a dozen critically acclaimed solo shows. He has appeared at Fringe and Comedy festivals from Edinburgh to Hong Kong, Galway to Montreal, Singapore to Sydney and almost everywhere in between. Semi-regular television appearances in his native Australia have earned him great respect and an average income. He has hosted galas, recorded specials, performed a few times at The Sydney Opera House, released an album and a couple of DVDs, and has been nominated for two ARIAs (Australian Grammy).
In 2010 Randy joined forces with an underweight musical comedian by the name of Sammy J to create Ricketts Lane, which won Best Show at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and went on to become a television series of the same name, airing on ABC TV in Australia, Seeso in the US and Netflix in the UK. Randy's role in Sammy J & Randy in Ricketts Lane earned him an ACTAA (Australian Emmy) nomination for best performer in a comedy series in 2015 - a first for a puppet.
In 2016 Randy Writes A Novel was nominated for best comedy at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival and went on to a season at the Soho Theatre in London as well as the 2017 Montreal Just For Laughs Festival, where Randy also appeared on the Jane Krakowski Television Gala.
Randy Writes A Novel runs through June 10 at Theatre Row's Clurman Theatre (410 West 42nd Street, between 9th and 10th Avenues). Performances are Tuesday - Thursday at 7pm, Friday at 8pm, Saturday at 2pm and 8pm, and Sunday at 3pm. Running time is 75 minutes. Tickets are $81.25, available at 212-239-6200 or visit telecharge.