One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
April 4-5, 11-12, 18-19 The Weekend Theater off Broadway
Attending
a final dress rehearsal for a play, especially by a first time director,
is comparable to witnessing an attempted canyon jumping by Evel Knievel.
Will he make it? Will he plummet to his death? Will he crash into the crowd
and take out some of the audience? And most importantly, which outcome would
be more amusing?
Enough suspense already - Byron Taylor, The Weekend
Theater's current "Knievel," not only clears the chasm, he and his very talented
Cuckoo's Nest cast land with flair. The dress rehearsal audience was treated to a performance level production in virtually every respect.
Cuckoo's Nest tells the story of R.P. McMurphy and his battle of wills with Nurse Ratched
during his observational stay at a mental institution. But it also challenges
us to question our definitions of sanity and reality and the "normalcy" of
a society that requires mindless and soulless conformity. Serious - yes,
boring - never, entertaining - definitely.
An ensemble cast is a dream
for any director, and this play is blessed with the variety of gifted actors
needed to bring such varied and vivid characters to life. Certainly all
of the patients were appropriately "mental"; however, where I might have
expected forced and affected mannerisms, I was instead witness to real people
with understandable and sometimes even understated oddities. I take off
my proverbial hat to Frank O. Butler's "explosive" Scanlon, the very expressive
George and his buddy Martini (Eric Smith), and the constantly snickering
Cheswick (played at this performance by the constantly amusing Tim Huffmaster).
Special mention must be made of Carl Porter Burks as Ruckley. Let's just
say he has a real stage presence, and he has his character nailed.
We're also treated to the insane wit and mad sophistication of Alan Douglas as
Dale Harding; a sweetly disarming and touching Jason Willey as Billy Bibbit;
and two "party girls" played by Jennifer Jones and Glenda Fortenberry, who
add as much lunacy as the patients. Regi Ott makes the most of her Nurse
Flinn, and Brad Bennett was new-age chummy as sandal-wearing Dr. Spivey,
but displayed essential control of the institution when pressed.
Now we arrive at the three most complicated denizens of this madhouse. Hal McAfee,
as Chief Bromden (with a much expanded role in the play over the movie),
shows a command of the stage equal to his physical presence. Delivering
some of the more difficult lines (in monologue yet), he acquits himself well.
Deborah Kelley, as Nurse Ratched, exudes an icy and impersonal manner which
complements her frosty hair. Her professed desire for her patients' recovery
is merely a mask for her need to control through order and discipline.
But let there be no doubt, the pinball in this machine is R.P McMurphy, played
by Duane Jackson. He struts and swaggers and carouses and cons and thoroughly
commands every square inch of the stage. In fact, if I didn't have a program,
I would be hard pressed to provide evidence that Duane Jackson was even in
Cuckoo's Nest It was R.P. McMurphy, from start to finish.
Who needs the World Series? I saw an actor knock one out of the park.
Only one complaint - the set. But here's the thing: you want an awesome set,
go to Broadway and spend $100 per ticket, you want theatre - go see Cuckoo's Nest
Battle of wills between Nurse Ratched (Deborah Kelley) and McMurphy (Duane Jackson)
