Ben Wood as Kenny. Photo: Prudence Upton
Adapted by Steve Rodgers and performed by Ben Wood, Kenny is not so much a retelling of the 2006 feelgood movie – tag-lined a ‘knight in shining overalls’ – but an excellent 80-minute corollary to it.
Director Mark Kilmurry hit upon the idea of a stage production and says the film writers Clayton and Shane Jacobson were on board from the start. So theatregoers are now treated to a ‘Ted talk’ from the world’s most famous plumber and portable loo provider. Kenny Smythe, as unassuming and down to earth as he ever was, seems slightly baffled by the invitation to speak at Sydney’s 2021 International Portable Sanitation Convention – but of course, he’s soon up and running.
Few comic characters can carry off scatological and ‘dad’ jokes with such aplomb as Kenny, nor show us what really matters in the world. In a year when we have heard more about essential workers than ever, and could hardly fail to notice that it is so often the underpaid and undervalued workers in our society that don’t have the luxury of retreating from the threat of a pandemic, Kenny is here to remind us that not only is he the No 1 in No 2s, but that we all need toilets, and consequently we need plumbers too! Not just at home either. We’ve all seen the serried ranks of portaloos at sporting and musical events but who considers how necessary they are at tragic events, such as the 9/11 attack when relief crews worked around the clock for days on end? Not me, until Kenny pointed it out.
Ben Wood’s Kenny is hilarious, giving us hitherto unconsidered differences in ‘piss’n’shit’ ratios for crowds, the extra demand if alcohol and curries are involved and age/class/event expectations – although the latter can confound. ‘Didn’t expect that sort of behaviour at at Johnny Farnham concert,’ says Kenny. He does expect portable loos to be torched (seems like fun to some) and, sadly, he does expect to be treated like shit by some people. So again, it is a gentle reminder that we all rely on characters like Kenny, especially when they are doing the sort of work we don’t want to do. Family values, societal values and basic human compassion are all embodied in SPLASHdown’s No 1 employee.
Expect some audience interaction (voluntary) and plenty of laughs. Along the way, we also get to see some truly ridiculous images of pure gold loos, crystal-studded loos, and a particularly special Japanese design that claims to analyse your poo and send you a health report. At the other and much more sobering end of the sanitation scale, Kenny gives us a glimpse of the appalling conditions in neglected and deprived areas of India where human waste is collected by hand. (Makes a mockery of anyone complaining they have had a shit day.)
This Kenny brings us down to earth with humour, understanding and compassion and, to quote Rodgers, ‘after a shit year, he finally allows us to laugh.’ As far as I could see, everyone did!
It’s on until 27 February. Ticket prices $43 (concessions) to $79. More info at ensemble.com.au
