Rain Man Tickets

The Apollo Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue will house the stage adaptation of the multi Oscar-winning movie Rain Man. As this is a Hollywood adaptation, it seems fitting that the play stars Hollywood actor Josh Hartnett in his West End debut. He plays the self-obsessed, selfish Charlie Babbitt with British actor Adam Godley starring opposite as his autistic brother Raymond. David Grindley directs the production, celebrated as one of Britain’s most talented new directors. The stage adaptation of MGM’s 1988 classic film runs at the Apollo Theatre from September 2008 to 20th December 2008.

Charlie Babbit (Hartnett) lives life to the extreme, he thrives on risking everything including the financial security of his business after a deal to import some cars for his automobile dealership turns sour. When he was 16 he borrowed his dad’s car, only for his father to phone the police. After this Charlie is determined to make it on his own. When his father dies, Charlie realises the money he would leave behind could be his ticket out of all of his financial worries. He is furious, however, when the money is not left to him and all he receives are the car and some rose bushes.

It seems his father has left most of his fortune with the brother Charlie never knew he had. Charlie is in disbelief at the news and seeks him out. His brother Raymond (Godley) is a autistic genius, living in a mental institution having never seen the outside world. When Charlie finds him, he is determined to get the money and he brings Raymond across America to meet his attorney. The story deals with this journey as Charlie and Raymond Babbitt go on a ride involving gambling in Las Vegas, learning to dance and kissing…along the way they discover each other, finding an unexpected friendship for life.

The new stage production of Rain Man is adapted from the story by Barry Morrow and directed by Dan Gordon in 1988. Dan Gordon’s work also includes Passenger 57 and has written for TV. Director of this production David Grindly recently directed David Schwimmer in Neil LaBute’s Some Girls.

Actor Josh Hartnett is famous for appearing in films such as Sin City, 40 Days and Nights and Lucky Number Slevin, whilst British actor Adam Godley has appeared onstage in Cleo and Emmanuel and Dick at the National Theatre. Onscreen he has appeared in Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The X-Files: I Want to Believe.