One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

This is a play, published in 1963 as an adaptation of a story published in 1962 and followed by a film in 1975 which won several Academy Awards. Although available, with plenty of advice etc. on the current web site, it is not attempted very often amongst Amateur Companies, and this is my first viewing of a production for many a year.  Its absence from the list is perhaps understandable given the full casting of 17 men and 5 women.  This alone is a sufficient difficulty to deter many, if not most, Societies.  However, this production, in another determined adventure by a relatively small company, used 11 men and 4 women, and most adequately covered a range of the character types needed.

The scene is a ward in an American mental institution, with a number of patients depicting varied symptoms of mental breakdown or insecurity; most are there on a paying basis.   They are looked after by two nurses and two ‘aides’ (meaning strong arm men), and in the background is a Doctor.   A new patient is added to this group, one who is open, cheerful, arrogant even, and has clearly been put there by the legal authorities, following criminal conviction, for an indefinite period dependant on behaviour, in preference to a defined prison sentence.

It is evident that Nurse Ratched, played very effectively by Tracy Lias, is the controlling force on the ward, with no petulant outrage, but by delivering her dialogue with no emotion showing and moving in a tightly controlled manner  The uncompromising message was – you will obey.  In the background, but reflecting on events is Chief Bromden, the long term occupant of the ward, well played by Lee Allen,  He is dominant through both his bulk, being tall and well built, but remaining silent throughout, yet building a relationship with Randle Patrick McMurphy, the newcomer who sets out to bring about change.   In another memorable performance by Gary Huggins this character is a persistent and cheerful swindler, who believes he has spotted a chance to get early release by opting for the institution rather than jail.  He enjoys life and starts to rouse reactions from the inmates against the petty rules of the establishment and also Nurse Ratched.  And so the conflict between McMurphy and Nurse Ratched builds until he realises that she has the controlling function, with an ability to subject him to some pretty fearsome treatments.   Thus for a time he succumbs to discipline, but soon rebels again by setting up a drinks session involving all the occupants, plus a couple of prostitutes that are secreted in to the ward, and breaking into the ward drugs cabinet.  This is followed by a retribution session where Nurse Ratched lectures them all, in a deadly calm, but ruthless, fashion seeking to surface their feelings of guilt.   She follows this up by threatening Billy Bibbitt, a mild mannered fee paying patient (played by Andrew Cartwright), that she will tell his mother of his behaviour.   This results in Billy’s suicide.   McMurphy is then blamed openly by Nurse Ratchel for Billy’s death, which he takes very badly, to the extent that he violently attacks her.  As a result McMurphy is sent to the hospital for a lobotomy, which will effectively destroy his thought processes.  He returns to the ward a few weeks later, effectively as a body without any personality, to live under the complete control of Nurse Ratched.   Chief Bromden recognises the destruction of McMurphy as a person and his friend, and so smothers him to death in his bed, before escaping from the institution in the confusion with the intention of seeking a new life in Canada.

Some players have been mentioned above but I want to recognise all the others by name because of the quite compelling evening which they gave.  The two Aides were played by Jeff Chandler and Joe Sales; Nurse Flinn, assistant to Ratchel, by Lisa Winterford; Dr. Spivey, responsible for the ward, but wanting a quiet life was played by Martin Rayner,Ellen Gage & Rosie Meloy played the two attractive prostitutes Candy and Sandra.  The other five patients, each very effectively showing the symptoms of their condition were played as follows:  Dale Harding by Keith Sippitt; Cheswick by Paul Welham (complete with a raised right arm that quivered continuously); Scanlon by Colin Davies; Martini by Gary Winterford; Ruckley by Cameron Ross.

This play is  perhaps not everybody’s cup of tea, and indeed is sourced from a book written by Ken Kesey, a man who promoted the use of drugs as a path to individual freedom following his participation in US Army experiments.

Nevertheless this was a performance very ably directed by Kerry King and performed by a cast all of whom stuck firmly to their characters, and thanks are due to all front and back stage for an impressive and thought provoking evening..

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