Rogue
by tim curry
Grand Central Publishing, October 2025
Tim Curry, the peerless force of stage and screen, rock singer, brilliant voice-over master and renowned sleuth, has released a memoir titled Rogue This will definitely make their legion of fans “shiver with anticipation… call it…passion.”
(Many of these classics include curry sprinkles rocky horror picture show Whole Easter Eggs.)
As the memoirs go, Rogue It is not a straightforward autobiography per se, nor does it tell of a single, highly unique experience. Bookended with chapters that deal with his childhood and his current struggles following a massive stroke that left him partially paralyzed, the huge proportions are cut into (primarily) project-centric sections, where Curry lurches from creative endeavor to creative endeavor and thus narrates his time wandering like a vagabond from one place to another. Currie presents his subject carefully, and the result seems somewhat modified, about which Currie warns prospective readers in advance:
This will not be a master class, I have stories to tell, no clear lessons to teach, , , , Nor will it be a rosy story about Hollywood, Not because my moral conscience won’t allow it, or because I haven’t had enough encounters with juicy celebrities – but simply because I find such books extremely dull and susceptible to gathering dust, I won’t even go into ridiculous details about my love affairs, , , , I have loved and been loved and I hope you have too, But I’m not interested in your romance, And specifics about matters of my heart – respectfully – are none of your business,
(To be fair, it wouldn’t be wrong to think: “I don’t expect you to be interested in me. I’m not going to write a worthless memoir.”)
With a clear command of the language that is clearly his own, Currie describes how life and work have brought him to the seaside villages of England, Birmingham, Marrakesh, London, Los Angeles, New York, Glasgow and many other wandering stops. He reflects on his rock shows and stage performances and delves into his many roles: The Player in Stoppard Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are deadPennywise Inn itThe Devil’s Inn legend, Long John Silver Inn Muppet Treasure IslandCardinal Richelieu Inn the three MusketeersAnd, of course, his career-launching effort, Frank-N-Furter. The Rocky Horror Picture ShowHe introduces us, sometimes in passing and sometimes in detail, to the cadre of celebrities he has met along the way: Susan Sarandon, Sylvester Stallone, Andrew Lloyd Webber, David Bowie, Mick Jagger, Princess Margaret and Cher, to name a few, The most interesting of these encounters occurred during Currie’s gap year as a nineteen-year-old boy traveling through the French Riviera with his friend Richard:
One day, we saw Pablo Picasso eating lunch at a café across the way, and Richard practically ran back to the boat to get his sketchbook so he could start creating his own rendering of Picasso. Seeing our interest, Picasso gave us a nod, turned the page of Richard’s sketchbook, made a silly little sketch of his own on the back, and then signed it. As she handed it to Richard, he smiled and said, “Just in case you want to stay in Cannes a little longer,” implying that his intention was for us to sell it and make some extra cash.
Rogue It’s artfully written, erudite and satirical and teasing, as any follower of Tim Curry would expect. There is some question whether someone who is not familiar with Curry’s works will enjoy poring over its 264 pages. This would depend on one’s interest in film, stage, and popular lifestyle until the late 60s. There are certainly enough references to those times, people and places to please any culture vulture. Tim Curry fans, whether they’re rabid or simply Rocky-centric, are bound to be impressed by his exploits and will love the skillful way he weaves his life into this narrative bouquet. (If you caught him, Rogue This is definitely a must read for you.)
All that said, Rogue Probably most readers, fans or not, will be left wanting a little more. Throughout his career, Curry has been extremely private, refusing to allow the public a glimpse of his romantic life or even acknowledge his sexual orientation. And as promised, they have removed any reference to it RogueWhich gives the memoir a “don’t get too close” feel. Also as promised, there’s no dish-worthy dirt on the curry dish, which might force readers digging between the lines, wondering if there wasn’t more to some of these stories or these people.
However, in the end, Curry is an excellent entertainer, and Rogue Certainly entertaining, even if he insists on keeping his distance.
Jim Abiati is an author, book reviewer, and IT professional living in Mystic, Connecticut. He is the author of Fell’s Hollow, The NORTAV Method for Writers, and has an MFA in Creative Writing from National University.
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