Rudi

Rudi
Portrayed by   -   Julian Barratt
Occupation   -   Jazz Fusion Guitarist
Associated with:   -   Psychedelic Monks,
First appearance   -   Jungle
Interests   -  Testing people,

"You have passed the test..."

―Rudi on many occasions

Biography

Rudi is a jazz fusion guitarist and High Priest of the Psychedelic Monks. His full name is spelt in two different ways in DVD subtitles: In series 1, it is Rudi Van Der Saniel, in series 2, it is Rudi van Disarzio.

This could be due to his full name only being said once by himself in series 1 (his teeth make him hard to understand) and once by Spider Dijon, who has a heavy Mexican accent, in series 2. In a cut radio scene, he was played by Rich Fulcher. In both TV series and the 2006 stage show, he is played by Julian Barratt.

Appearances

Jungle

In Jungle, Rudi lives in the Jungle Room in the Zooniverse where he poses a series of bizarre tests and attempts to guide lost people using his wisdom, although in reality he is usually of little use. He has a large afro, inside which is the door of Kukundu, from which a mystery hand may offer different instruments, and he has protruding upper teeth which affect his speech. Rudi sits atop his own small section of Woodstock. With his hairstyle, dark skin, facial hair, preference for bright, psychedelic clothing, and fusion guitar-playing, he bears a resemblance to guitar legend Jimi Hendrix.

The Priest and the Beast

In The Priest and the Beast, he is High Priest of the Order of Psychedelic Monks and member of Bongo Brothers alongside his partner, Spider Dijon. In this episode we discover that Rudi's wife left him after she found him in bed with his guitar (he had his balls inside it and strummed himself to ecstasy) and since then Rudi has no place for women. In his defence, Rudi claims, "I was naked, It was dark, I was changing a string and I became entangled".

Strangely, in the series two episode Rudi is shown as a full-sized man, but in series one he appeared to be some sort of dwarf and he was (literally) rather two-dimensional, growing out of his travelling "Woodstock" backdrop. The issue is never directly addressed, and continuity is not a major concern in the Mighty Boosh.(Although it could be a different character than in Season One: they have different surnames, and just have the same first name).

2006 Live Show

Rudi also appeared in the 2006 stage show, in which Vince discovers him in a magic forest. Rudi sets many tests to see if Vince is worthy of the Ruby of Kokundo. After fighting a Black Rider and winning, Rudi gives him a Kinder Egg by mistake and tells Vince to continue in his quest as he is in the wrong place. During the show Vince comments on the large number of tests that Rudi sets, to which Rudi responds that many people think this, and that in school his friends gave him the nickname "Testy" because of that very fact. However, this was not featured on the following live DVD which was recorded at Brixton Academy.

His next appearance in the live show is when he attempts to fight the Hitcher, in revenge for all those who have fallen. He fails but luckily Big Leg is there to save him.

Other Appearances

In the early live and radio show, he was a judge in the battle of the bands that Howard and Vince were in.

Aliases

One of Rudi's defining characteristics is that he has many aliases, many of which he reveals ad nauseum. The names he mentions include:

• Mystery Man
• The Shadow Dweller
• Shatoon: Bringer Of Corn
• Secret Peter - Where is he hiding, in a shoe, in a rock, in a bush, in a side, a cupboard, in a... lane? No, he's inside yourself.
• Miraculous Mark: Deviner Of Mysteries
• Mickey Nine: The Dream Weaver
• Photo Shop
• Trinew: The Boiler
• Marjory Keek
• Captain Margaret (which was also another name of The Shadowed One/Uncle Pedro)
• RRRRRrrrubbady Pubbady
• Clive
• Peppercorn (mainly by the Dutch)
• Corel Draw
• Domino: the Bounty Hunter
• Miraculous Mark: Diviner of Mysteries
• Chilli Chicken Ramen
• Cillit Bang