Richard Gadd returns to the stage for the first time since Baby Reindeer – in a play so secret he didn’t even get to see the script beforehand!
Baby Reindeer creator Richard Gadd received a superstar reception as he performed live for the first time since the controversial Netflix show led to a £92 million lawsuit.
Fans cheered the 35-year-old comedian and actor after he appeared in unusual West End play White Rabbit Red Rabbit, in which a different star takes to the stage every night without rehearsal.
They don’t even get to see the script in advance – it’s in a sealed envelope on stage – so they have to read the lines and follow the stage directions completely coolly.
Fans were desperate to catch Gadd in the ‘experimental’ solo production after seeing him play himself in the dark TV comedy that won multiple Emmy awards.
Soho Place Theater was sold out for its only performance and ticketless fans who turned up hoping for cancellations had to be turned away.
Gadd is currently at the center of legal action being taken against the streaming giant over Baby Reindeer’s portrayal of his ordeal at the hands of a stalker.
Fiona Harvey is seeking massive damages for defamation, emotional distress and gross negligence in a lawsuit claiming the show’s stalker Martha Scott is based on her.
Fans gave the 35-year-old comedian and actor (pictured at Chateau Marmont) a roar of applause after he appeared in offbeat West End play White Rabbit Red Rabbit.
Georgia Meacham said the part was ‘amazing’ and described how Gadd gave 100 percent to the role
It’s Gadd’s first stage role since the Netflix hit Baby Reindeer – and his first stage role since the Edinburgh Fringe show on which it was based
On Sunday, the Soho Place Theater was packed with people citing Gadd’s Netflix sensation as the reason they saw the obscure play about Iranian tyranny.
They loved the way he turned a script about Tehran’s oppression into a funny routine in which he pretended to be an ostrich and brought the audience on stage.
The Scottish-born artist also signed autographs and took selfies with some fans at the stage door before the show.
Model and actor Georgia Meacham, 31, said after seeing the hour-long play: ‘I loved it.
‘I’m a big fan of Baby Reindeer and Richard is not just an actor, he’s a writer, he’s involved in the production, so that’s why I decided to watch the film.
‘He gave 100 percent, that was so nice. Everything was so unexpected. There was so much tension.
Jose Andrade, 44, and DanielSadecki, 28, said they enjoyed interacting with the crowd
Katie Mison, 26, from Brighton said: ‘It was really funny. There were some very dark themes in it, but they were covered up by the humor.’
‘It was so interactive that the audience stood up and got involved.
Georgia, who appeared in Channel 4’s royal soap The Windsors and the 1984 Hollywood film Wonder Woman, added. ‘Richard was so good, so funny.
“I’d love to see him in a theater show again.”
Katie Mison, 26, from Brighton said: ‘It was really funny. It had some very dark themes, but they were covered up by the humor.
“You didn’t know what was going to happen next. There were many unexpected twists.
“We looked at Baby Reindeer and we saw he was in this, so we thought, let’s do it. It was brilliant.’
Friends Daniel Sadecki, 28, and Jose Andrade, both from London, also enjoyed Iranian playwright Nassim Soleiman’s work about the oppressive regime in Tehran.
Daniel said: ‘It was very interactive and I really enjoyed Richard too. He performed very well.’
Jose added, “I liked it. I especially liked the way they interacted with the audience. That was fun.’
Oliver Newman, 19, from Southend, said: “The show was brilliant. It was really thought provoking.
“It was so different from anything I’ve seen before; a very cool concept for a show.
‘I was a big fan of Baby Reindeer and I was considering a few options, but I thought I’d drop in and see Richard.
‘I expected more darkness than comedy, but there was a really nice mix of everything.’
Fiona Harvey, the real-life inspiration for stalker Martha in Baby Reindeer
Hit TV show Baby Reindeer could end up costing TV streaming service Netflix as much as $120m (£92m) plus legal fees
Actress Jessica Gunning, who plays ‘Martha’ in the show, and Richard Gadd, who plays himself, pose with their Emmy Awards in California earlier this year
Sisters Holly Rea and Amber Pollard-Rea, from Tunbridge Wells, said they arrived late and so struggled for a few minutes to catch up on the dialogue.
But Amber, 31, said: ‘It’s a bit of a cliché but probably the only reason we went was to see Richard Gadd because of Baby Reindeer.
“It took us a few minutes to get into it and I thought I needed some convincing.
‘But it was really interesting and thought-provoking – like a social experiment on stage.’
Holly, 25, said: ‘We were five minutes late which didn’t help so we had to get to it really quickly.
‘But soon we were all sucked in and hanging on every word.
‘I thought the concept suited his style because he is a stand-up and was used to being the only one on stage.
“He was able to hold his own and because he was comfortable with it, we all felt comfortable with it.”
But Heidi Kubisa, 44, who came all the way from Bath hoping to get a ticket to the show, was disappointed and had to stay out.
She said: “We’re fans of Baby Reindeer and fans of Richard Gadd, so we were hoping to get tickets.
‘But it sold out so quickly. Today three tickets became available and we hesitated and they went. I’m very disappointed.’
However, she was comforted by meeting the star as he arrived at the stage door, where he signed autographs and posed for selfies.
‘He was sweet. He did some autographs and photos for the group that was there, so we just wished him luck and hoped the show went well.”
Gadd was the latest big name to appear in what the promoters say is a “theatrical adventure that embraces comedy and tragedy” and an “edge-of-your-seat experience.”
Previous stars include Michael Sheen, Jonathan Pryce, Jason Isaacs and Daisy Edgar Jones, while future shows will feature Lenny Henry, Toby Jones, Matt Lucas and Catherine Tate.
Gadd won three of the six Emmys awarded to the show last month; another went to Jennifer Gunning, who played the stalker.