One flew over the Cuckoos Nest

One flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

Ashton Heys Theatre Club

11th October 2022

There is always a warm welcome when attending an Ashton Heys Theatre Company (AHTC) production; this was no exception as the play itself was voted for by local audiences. One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest is a complex piece of drama, a challenging task for the Director Yvette Owen.

Dale Wasserman’s 1963 solid stage adaptation of Ken Kesey’s 1962 extraordinary novel One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest is another hit social commentary gem that all actors want to add to their resumes. The story involves the larger than life Randle Patrick McMurphy (Iain Bennett) who contrives to be committed to a psychiatric hospital to avoid a prison sentence on a work farm. Once incarcerated in the institution, the cost of his decision becomes apparent when he finds himself in direct conflict with Nurse Ratched (Kath Lamb). The lives of the patients and staff in the ward are forever changed as they are caught in the tug of war between these two strong willed characters.

Chief Bromden (Jac Wardle), a long-term patient in Nurse Ratched’s psychiatric ward, narrates through voiceover his story of his Indian heritage. The aides (Jim Whitelock Wainwright, Nuri Ucuncu, and Peter Russell) mock him for being a pushover; even though he is over six feet tall, he sweeps the hallways for them, nicknaming him “Chief Broom.” The ward Nurse Flinn / Sandy (Felicity Parry) is aware they tease him and is sympathetic to him. Bromden is half Indian and pretends to be deaf and dumb; as a result, he overhears all the secrets on the ward and is barely noticed by anyone despite his stature. He befriends Mc Murphy admiring his free spirit.  A sensitive performance.

Nurse Ratched’s authority partially stems from her role as head nurse, but more importantly, it relies on the hospital community’s docile acceptance of her ultimate power. The residents contribute to this hierarchy when they credit Nurse Ratched with almost godlike powers. As one of the two infamous characters in the play this was a challenge for any actor. Kath Lamb is a capable actress but her portrayal of Nurse Ratched lacked the sinister, barely disguised sadism that this role needs.

The arrival on the ward of the loud disrespectful McMurphy causes unrest within the inmates: Dale Harding (Mike Howard) Billy Bibbit (Sam Mulford) Cheswick (Dylan White) Ruckley (Rob Mason) Martini (Steve Lincoln) and Scanlan (Joseph Myrddin). When McMurphy makes lewd jokes at the nurse’s expense at her daily Group Meeting, she retaliates by reading his file aloud, focusing on his arrest for statutory rape. McMurphy retaliates with stories about the sexual appetite of his fifteen-year-old lover, who he insists said she was 16. Even Doctor Spivey (Gary Jones) enjoys Mc Murphy’s humorous rebellion against Ratched. The doctor reads from the file, “Don’t overlook the possibility that this man might be feigning psychosis to escape the drudgery of the work farm,” to which McMurphy responds,

 “Doctor, do I look like a sane man?” This comment ignites a malicious feud between McMurphy and Ratched with deadly consequences.

The set has a clinical sparseness, just tables, chairs and a cleverly constructed  light-box on one side of the stage, which I felt was underutilised as when occupied it gave Ratched an ominous silhouette  reinforcing her power over the ward. AHTC have a talented supported crew, lighting costume, and a set designer who travelled from Anglesey, that’s dedication for you.

Iain Bennett gave a lively, devil-may-care McMurphy:  reminiscent of the Jack Nicholson in the film.  The audience laughed at his flagrant disrespect for authority. An accomplished performance from Iain, the television scene with the inmates watching an imaginary World Series game was a show highlight.

There are strong performances all down the line from the inmates, notably Mike Howards Harding, always trying to maintain dignity in the face of emotional and sexual inadequacy. Mike has great presence, is comfortable on stage his revelation to Mc Murphy that he was a voluntary patient was so well done. Great performance

Sam Mulford gave a convincing performance as the stuttering Billy Bibbit, a sexually inhibited young man with an overpowering mother.  Lovely performance Sam

Everything comes to a head when McMurphy bribes an orderly and throws an illicit party on the ward, supplying prostitutes Candy Starr and Sandy (Lisa Buckley & Felicity Parry), resulting in the tragic suicide of  Billy Bibbit and a violent altercation between McMurphy and Nurse Ratched. 

The final moments of the story are chilling and tragic. McMurphy receives an entirely unnecessary lobotomy, rendering him a vegetable, but the effects his short time on the ward had on the other patients can never be undone.

On reading the ‘Special Thanks’ in the programme, the Director Yvette Owen notes that for one reason or another this play had been a difficult show to get rehearsed with several cast changes, some cast changing characters to make this production work.

The play was engaging, with a committed cast true to the original and had a good combination of humour and sinister overtones, but it has room for improvement.

Thank you all for a truly entertaining evening, I really enjoyed it. Looking forward to your next production.

Joanne Rymer

District 4

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