Anyone into rubber? (Man in the Rubber Mask - Robert Llewellyn)

Member Name: nikkisly

Product:	Man in the Rubber Mask - Robert Llewellyn
Date:	14/11/00 (91 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Hilarious

Disadvantages: It's too short - roll on the sequel.

The Man in the Rubber Mask by Robert Llewellyn is a must for the Christmas stockings of anyone who has ever watched and enjoyed 'Red Dwarf'.

For anyone not familiar with this successful BBC comedy, it is the story of a mismatched crew of ne'er -do-wells, marooned on a space ship in the future and their adventures as they try in vain to get back to earth. In the third series, the already established cast is joined by Robert Llewellyn... and this is his story.

The book opens with a couple of chapters about Llewellyn's career B.R.D. (before Red Dwarf). The remaining chapters deal with the trials and tribulations of playing the android Kryten in the series and, if the book is only half true, this man deserves a medal for bravery in the face of comedy hell!

As we read on, we discover exactly how Kryten's rubber mask was constructed. We learn the impossibility of eating and drinking with the mask in place (tea tastes like "sucking your own flannel in the bath"). We find out that, due to a language problem with a French member of the crew, Kryten is known as 'Cretin' throughout the filming.And, most interestingly,we get to hear all sorts of intimate backstage gossip about other cast members.

For example, which 'extra' in the series experienced a panic attack when he smelled the latex used to construct Kryten's mask? What extraordinary measures do the cast go to to remember their lines? How many times does Craig "I do all me own stunts, man" Charles get injured in the line of duty? How are some of the more spectacular scenes filmed - and what common household items are used to provide special effects?

The later chapters of the book discuss the American version of Red Dwarf - in which Llewellyn was the only British cast member to be offered a role - and tells why it sank without a trace.

This book is hysterically funny. Llewellyn writes well, in a sort of chatty
style - he's the kind of writer that makes you feel he is actually sitting in your living room, with a mug of tea and a chocolate digestive, telling you his story face to face.There are some interesting photographs, both of the author at various stages of his life and of the cast and writers of the series. However, there are some parts of the book which might be deemed unsuitable for children - more the occasional four letter word than anything too graphic.

Described as the 'inside story' and a 'guidebook to the biggest cult series in the Universe', this is a book that deserves to be read and enjoyed. Why not write a letter to Santa?

The Man in the Rubber Mask - Robert Llewellyn - Penguin ISBN 014 023575 2

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