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RON

 
Richard Beck Review by Richard Beck 4 Published: 25 Jun 2026 Riverside Studios Show Dates: 13 Jun 2026-5 Jul 2026

The stage is set for a standard comedy night. The spotlight is focused on the mic stand centre stage. The mic itself is suitably angled and the flex trails off into the wings. There is a plastic bottle of water on a small, waist-high table positioned stage right, out of reach of the microphone.

Somewhat mad experimental, edgy and visceral theatre, performed with style and passion

When the show begins, the anticipated loud, exuberant and highly experienced figure, bursting to launch into tonight’s set, fails to materialise. Instead, a tall, slim young man nervously approaches the mic and begins to apologetically mumble and fumble his way through some opening lines about the nature of comedy and how to get laughs. Apart from the odd snigger, the words fall flat. We have now established that this is not a comedy show. With so much on his mind, Tony Walker soon diverts into telling something approaching an absurdist tragedy or gruesome horror story that has its funny moments and is lightly told, despite the often sinister nature of the content. It is definitely dark.

Then the stories begin and the action starts to flow. It’s swift, thick and full of surprises. Tony and the guy with whom he is infatuated, dodgy Mike, are in McDonald’s where they are given the wrong order. They look at their server’s name badge, which identifies him as Ron. In their deluded minds, they assume he is Ronald McDonald himself and decide he must pay the price of his error. They kidnap him, put him in the boot of the car and then have no idea what to do with him, as none of this was planned and the whole idea is ill-conceived. Thereafter, we helter-skelter through wild ideas, suspect encounters and increasingly vivid descriptions of violent acts, culminating in the confrontation of one of society’s last great taboos. It is hard not to be overcome by an air of disbelief that it is all really being described so graphically.

RON is a one-man show in the widest sense. The play is written and performed by Ted Walliker, who plays Tony Walker with a delightfully contrasting gruff voice. Walliker also created the lighting design and is responsible for the sound design and music, both of which have stunning moments and enhance the production throughout. Raising the mid-stage curtain to reveal a set as we head towards the denouement is a gasp-inducing moment. Lev Govorovski assisted him with the set and costume design, as well as directing the play. In its 50th anniversary year, RON marks a milestone for the theatre, as this bold and brave play is Riverside Studios Productions’ first in-house co-production.

RON is not for the faint of heart, nor for those seeking a comfortable drawing-room drama. But if you relish somewhat mad, experimental, edgy and visceral theatre, performed with style and passion, this is a production in which you can wallow.

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The Blurb:

Riverside Studios Productions and Ted Walliker present RON.

Tony Foot presents his latest stand-up show about life, love and friendship. Or – at least – he tries to…

Tony seems to have something else on his mind.

What starts in McDonalds stays in McDonalds, except in this story where it doesn’t.

RON is an absurd, violent, genre-bending queer odyssey exploring the nature of unrequited love; how far would you go to show someone you love them? Sometimes you’re just the Ron person in the Ron place at the Ron time.