What Willum and Tansy never learnt was that “Rick Steadman” is not actually Rick Steadman, the brave man who risked his own life to save Willum. He is instead an actor, Kemp Hall, who was persuaded by Axel to impersonate Rick Steadman in order to make Willum understand his real priorities.
Kemp, by playing the nerd, becomes increasingly impossible to live with driving Willum almost to violence.
Kemp is also the voice of a man named Red Graham who has been leaving phone messages for Willum, asking him to build a housing estate in Alexandria, Virginia; Axel points out to Willum that this is very close to where Tansy is moving.
Axel calls Kemp to say, “I think we did it, babe…I think a hundred percent.” Kemp no longer the klutzy Rick, wonders what the real Rick Steadman is like, and says to Axel, “Not a bad fellow, your friend Willum.”
Axel provides the theme of the play when he replies, “He’s all right. He just needed to have his life interfered with a little, that’s all.”
with Gordon the Optom
