One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest
Lost Theatre, Lambeth
Verdict: 3.5 / 5 MAMPAMs
The timing of the decision of Lambeth's Lost Theatre Company to stage Dale Wasserman's adaptation of Ken Kesey's seminal 1963 novel One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest is strangely, if perhaps coincidentally, pertinent. The novel's themes of individualism battling hard to survive against a suppressive, but outwardly kindly, Big Other, have not been so relevant for some time. The trend for libertarianism and a cutting back of state-endorsed censorship is currently strong amongst the wider public, but also among theatre-goers, as testified by DV8's riproaring production Can We Talk About This? currently on at the National Theatre.
CWTAT? directly tackles the suppression of freedom of speech in the west, but intriguingly begins by asking the audience how many of them believe that they are morally superior to the Taliban. It isn't many. Identifying the individual's suppression of his own speech is key here, as it identifies a state of being brought about by a set of structures endorsed by the State, which make the individual believe that he or she must act, think and speak in a particular way because it is in their best interests to do so.
Lost Theatre's production of OFOTCN doesn't shirk these issues. When confronted by Sean Buchanan's raucous Randle P. McMurphy, or 'Mac', about the conduct of Annabel Capper's Nurse Mildred Ratched, inmate Harding initially defends her, calling her a good person doing what's best for the inmates. Ratched later backs this up, say that the 'germ of their illness' was in 'breaking the rules of society' and that it was her job to look after them and take care of them.
Buchanan's performance as the disruptive, brawling gambler was wild and humourous, and full of energy, though perversely his McMurphy seemed a little too 'sane', a little too knowing. Part of the fun of McMurphy's character is that we are supposed to never find out whether he is truly insane, faking it, or simply an irresistable force of nature. Capper unfortunately slightly overplays Ratched; the terror of Kesey's ferocious antagonistic matriarch was in her outwardly benevolent demeanour, her glassy, asexual appearance and her lack of emotion; here she was overly aggressive, never resisting the urget to remain calm in the face of McMurphy's provocations.
Dwayne Washington's Chief Bromden is initially confused, played as a diluted American Indian who learns to grow and is ultimately set free by McMurphy 'making him big'. It's a good performance slightly marred by odd spoken word interludes in between scenes that hint at the Chief's madness and his suppressed past but didn't quite hit the mark.
The best turn was by Francis Adams's put upon Doctor, who gets laughs as he begins to side with McMurphy, showing he is just as put-upon by Ratched as the other males on the ward.
The staging was slick and good use was made of the space in the Lost Theatre, and the supporting cast all provide good value as they learn to slowly throw off their self-imposed shackles and embrace a sense of communitarianism that is brought about by the whirling dervish that is their beloved Mac.
One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest runs at the Lost Theatre until March 31st, and tickets are available at the box office.
Lost Theatre, Lambeth
Verdict: 3.5 / 5 MAMPAMs
CWTAT? directly tackles the suppression of freedom of speech in the west, but intriguingly begins by asking the audience how many of them believe that they are morally superior to the Taliban. It isn't many. Identifying the individual's suppression of his own speech is key here, as it identifies a state of being brought about by a set of structures endorsed by the State, which make the individual believe that he or she must act, think and speak in a particular way because it is in their best interests to do so.
Lost Theatre's production of OFOTCN doesn't shirk these issues. When confronted by Sean Buchanan's raucous Randle P. McMurphy, or 'Mac', about the conduct of Annabel Capper's Nurse Mildred Ratched, inmate Harding initially defends her, calling her a good person doing what's best for the inmates. Ratched later backs this up, say that the 'germ of their illness' was in 'breaking the rules of society' and that it was her job to look after them and take care of them.
Buchanan's performance as the disruptive, brawling gambler was wild and humourous, and full of energy, though perversely his McMurphy seemed a little too 'sane', a little too knowing. Part of the fun of McMurphy's character is that we are supposed to never find out whether he is truly insane, faking it, or simply an irresistable force of nature. Capper unfortunately slightly overplays Ratched; the terror of Kesey's ferocious antagonistic matriarch was in her outwardly benevolent demeanour, her glassy, asexual appearance and her lack of emotion; here she was overly aggressive, never resisting the urget to remain calm in the face of McMurphy's provocations.
Dwayne Washington's Chief Bromden is initially confused, played as a diluted American Indian who learns to grow and is ultimately set free by McMurphy 'making him big'. It's a good performance slightly marred by odd spoken word interludes in between scenes that hint at the Chief's madness and his suppressed past but didn't quite hit the mark.
The best turn was by Francis Adams's put upon Doctor, who gets laughs as he begins to side with McMurphy, showing he is just as put-upon by Ratched as the other males on the ward.
The staging was slick and good use was made of the space in the Lost Theatre, and the supporting cast all provide good value as they learn to slowly throw off their self-imposed shackles and embrace a sense of communitarianism that is brought about by the whirling dervish that is their beloved Mac.
One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest runs at the Lost Theatre until March 31st, and tickets are available at the box office.
nice review buddy!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteTotally disagree with this review, I'm afraid. I saw the production yesterday and thought the two leads, McMurphy and Ratched, were utterly superb. I particularly enjoyed Annabel Capper as Nurse Ratched- a very complex and intelligent portrayal- not overplayed at all.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments, appreciated. It could always be that, because we saw the play on opening night there were a few creases in performance that have since been ironed out, as can often be the case.
DeleteStrange - Our friend Anonymous seems to big-up the review and then change his mind a few days later? Make your mind up.
ReplyDeleteNo wonder Anonymous wants to remain anonymous.
ReplyDelete