There are two things that are always true of film adaptation of novels; firstly, that those who have read the book first will hate the film, for it can never live up to the version they had it their head, which was of course tailor-made for them; and secondly, that those who try to read the book after seeing the film are unable see the characters and events as other than they were in the film, with those actors and locations. So when it comes to stage adaptations of films, something of a similar problem occurs. Taking the role of Raymond originally played by Dustin Hoffman in this theatrical version of hit-movie Rain Man, Neil Morrissey is well aware of this problem. ‘We don’t have the lavish locations, movie sets and camera angles. We create it all on stage, live. Story is key, and Rain Man is a great story about two estranged brothers and how they rekindle a deep-rooted bond that nobody else can touch. It’s very moving and also very funny.’

A more modern portrayal of autism

No doubt the story is strong enough to bear revisiting, and bear the replacing of Hollwood glamour with the terrestrial television kind, but is there another reason why we should once again engage with the tale of a yuppie (originally played by Tom Cruise, now played by Oliver Chris form television’s Green Wing) exploiting his autistic brother’s rare mathematical abilities, only for the brotherly bond to rise above financial opportunism?  Morrissey believes so: ‘I read up on some of the current medical research into the condition – which of course has developed significantly since the late 80s when the movie was made. There are still no concrete answers or explanations, but with the aid of advanced technology, medical research has made great leaps in recent years. Having read about the condition, I then applied this to my character.’ For a more modern portrayal of autism, within the framework of a classic tale, this looks to be an engaging night out.

King’s Theatre, Tue 10 – Sat 14 Nov