One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - Bridewell Theatre
Preview by Lizzie Guilfoyle
SEDOS are presenting One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Ken Kesey’s adaptation of the 1962 novel of the same name, at Bridewell Theatre – from September 8 to September 12, 2009.
A state mental institution in 1960s America welcomes a new inmate, Randle P McMurphy; a loving, fighting, gambling life-affirming brawler who swaggers into the hospital, rallies the other patients and challenges the dictatorship of the dictatorial Nurse Ratched.
However, McMurphy’s defiance which starts as a sport, soon turns into a grim struggle; an all out war between authority and free will which ends in a shocking climax.
Rebecca Smith directs a cast that includes Lisa Jedan (as Nurse Ratched), Liam Byrne (Randle P McMurphy), Ben Fuiava, Mark Macey, Ben Hale, Darren Hannant, Theodore John Forsi, Barry Clarke, Jon Wade, Charles Golding, Bernard Doogan, Carolina Main, Robina Stewart, Jemma George, Paul Watson and Pete Picton.
Speaking about the SEDOS production, Smith said:
“Whilst the film is remembered for Jack Nicolson’s iconic performance, the play is far more of an ensemble piece. The various play versions I have seen often relied on casting stars like Christian Slater or Alfie from EastEnders, but I feel this can take away from what is essentially a very truthful piece about a group of people who all have their own troubles. We are focusing on capturing the intimacy and heartbreak of the story and have also brought in a psychiatrist to ensure the performances are empathetic and truthful.”
The 1975 film version of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is one of only three movies to win all five major Academy Awards – Best Picture, Best Actor in a Leading Role (Jack Nicholson), Best Actress in a Leading Role (Louise Fletcher), Best Director (Milos Forman) and Best Screenplay – and is frequently named as one of the greatest films in the history of American cinema.
However, the play was first showcased 12 years before the film and starred Kirk Douglas and Gene Wilder.
The performance at Bridewell Theatre will also be raising money for SEDOS charity, Half Moon Young People’s Theatre. The charity, based in East London, produces and presents professional theatre for and with young people that informs, challenges and shapes their artistic potential, placing these creative experiences at the core of the company’s work.
Tickets: £15, £10 concessions. Available from SEDOS Website
Times: Tuesday to Saturday at 7.30pm, Saturday matinee at 2.30pm.
NB: Friday, September 11’s performance will also include a special late night 60’s disco.