runtish

However much admiration Hollywood stars have for Broadway — and however much profit stage producers might have gained in luring a Lucille Ball to their relatively runtish world — identifiable triumph in one medium may actually undermine work in another.

“Stannis and his knights have left Deepwood Motte, flying the banner of his new red god. The clans of the northern hills come with him on their shaggy runtish horses. If the weather holds, they could be on us in a fortnight. And Crowfood Umber marches down the kingsroad, whilst the Karstarks approach from the east. They mean to join with Lord Stannis here and take this castle from us.”

But here it is the runtish, unlovely twins, neglected by their mother, who are the victims in a tale that sees them compete with Arabella in the live final of  TV reality show You Shall Go to the Ball.

A denizen of Soho, runtish but rapacious, he is small-time flash with a head full of Hollywood and fingers itching for easy money, a would-be gangster first seen in the barbershop, admiring himself in the mirror and telling lies in an unconvincing American accent.

What jury would believe, for example, that the runtish Manson, who had spent half his life in reformatories and prisons, had gamed iron control over a youthful "family" of some 60 members?