One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

‘One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ was written by Colorado born author, Ken Kesey. The book was then adapted for the stage by playwright, Dale Wasserman.

As a youngster, Kesey almost made the Olympic wrestling team, missing out after a shoulder injury. He started writing Cuckoo’s Nest at the age of 23 yrs, whilst studying at Stanford University. He finished the book in 1962, after gaining a great deal of inside information by being a guinea pig for heavy drug experiments at the local Veterans’ Hospital.

Kesey was conned into accepting $20,000 for the film rights, this was his final fee even though the film received five Oscars.

This powerful stage production is showing on the eleventh anniversary of Kesey’s death (aged 66 yrs). This magnificent play is presented by the Phoenix Theatre, in the Memorial Hall on the corner of Rockingham Road and Carrington Street, Hamilton Hill.

Performances nightly at 8.00 pm until Saturday 24^th November, with one matinee on Sunday 18^th November at 2.00 pm.

Naturally before entry to this high security hospital the audience are required to be fitted with hospital ID wristbands and take their ‘medication’.

The scene is the lemon yellow painted, large common room of a mental institution. On the right side of the room, a door leads into the main security area, drug cupboards and nursing headquarters.

         To the soft sound of nose flute music, a spotlight picks out the tall, powerful body of Chief Bromden (Adam Salathiel) a Native American inmate who has been resident for decades. He starts to relate the story of the massacre of his tribe. The lights in the common room come on and he retreats to the corner where he always sits. Normally totally silent, everyone assumes that he is deaf and dumb, so he has become privy to the secrets of the hospital. One of the aides, Warren (James Hynson) secures Bromden’s arms with a thick leather belt.

        Nurse Flinn (Maree Andersen), a devout Catholic, goes into the secure room and makes an announcement asking all of the patients to gather for their morning treatment. The elderly patient, Scanlon (David Pragnell) enters carrying a box of miscellaneous items that he is using to assemble a bomb to destroy the world. Against the wall is ‘Vegetable’ Ruckley (Kellie van Geest) an incurable in the ‘chronic group’, who spends most of his days swearing and ‘crucified’ on the wall. 

       The acute (curable) inmates gather around, seated in a circle. Today it is the turn of intelligent but effeminate Harding (Chris Doney) to be picked upon. He is there because his voluptuous wife wants him cured of his disinterest in sex. Harding is the ward leader at meetings. Old Scanlon is fascinated by the stories of Vera Harding’s large breasts. 

       Also in the group is the myopic, twitching Martini (Brett White) who has trouble seeing, but makes up for his poor vision by experiencing hallucinations. Seated next to him is the brash, Cheswick (Ryan McNally) who makes constant demands, and next the shy stammering, young Billy Bibbitt (Jack Walker) who is so scared of his mother that he has attempted suicide several times.

        The room door opens and in sweeps the sour-faced, Senior Nurse Mildred Ratched (Nina Deasley) who has not a scrap of interest in the patients’ welfare; she is there purely for the power that the position holds. With Ratched is a new inmate, McMurphy (Douglas Houston) a rapist and thug who is feigning madness so he can serve out his sentence in hospital rather than prison.

         It is not long before McMurphy is controlling the patients and staff. He even manages to charm Dr Spivey (Peter Neaves) the psychiatrist. Soon McMurphy is trying to arrange a secret midnight party, with the aim of inviting his brassy girlfriend, Candy Starr (Judith Gerardin) and her prostitute friend, Sandra (Maree Andersen), but first he must befriend the drunken night aide, Turkle (Robert Cook).

       How will the power struggle in the ward work out? Who will be released as cured?

I had not seen this play for more than twelve years, when it played to full houses at the old Harbour Theatre. Most directors are frightened off by the large number of males required for the cast, but the Director Jane Sherwood has managed to get a very well chosen group together, with one girl, Kellie, who made up as one of the ‘fellas’.

The demands made by this play on the director and cast are horrendous. The cast must all be completely tuned in, one weak link and the whole effect of the institution would fall apart. Even though some of the cast were relatively newcomers, Jane Sherwood has helped each member understand the demands expected from their very different personalities. The product is stunning and convincing. As a result, I genuinely felt fear, horror, tension and sadness, along with the well-delivered dark humour.

The admirable soundscape that ran subtly in the background throughout the play was carefully designed by Danni Close and operated by Paul Olsen. Kathleen Uhlmann operated the first-rate lighting, designed by Pauline Lawrence and Adam Salathiel.

The standard of the performances in this Community Theatre production were of professional standard, especially that of Douglas Houston who had the major part of McMurphy in this, only his second time on the stage. The chemistry between all of the actors was perfect. The pace and delivery were particularly good. A great team effort.

A difficult challenge for all concerned, but definitely a proficient show that must not be missed. Congratulations.