Nick Cave’s controversial second novel, The Death of Bunny Munro (2009) was hailed as a wild and heartbreaking caricature of debauched masculinity. The story of a sex-obsessed middle-aged travelling salesman, it was also criticised for being pointless, tedious and repetitive.
Now a Binge show starring Matt Smith, Cave’s book has been given a new lease of life. In the hands of a skilful production crew and a talented team of actors, the dubious novel translates into a thoroughly watchable show. But Bunny’s presence on the screen revives some old questions about the author’s original handling of his celebrated antihero.
Is Bunny Munro a culturally valuable degenerate who offers insight into the damaged male condition? Or is his story just another way of asking us to find misogyny cool and funny? And how does the book’s original portrayal of flawed masculinity compare with the newer screen version?
