[NEohioPAL]Cuckoo's Nest Intelligent, Sensitive and Insightful at Porthouse

[Roy Berko]

CUCKOO’S NEST  INTELLIGENT, SENSITIVE, AND INSIGHTFUL
AT PORTHOUSE

Roy Berko  (Member, American Theatre Critics
Association)

The Times Newspapers--Lorain County Times--Westlaker
Times--Lakewood News Times- Olmsted-Fairview Times	

	
In his early 20s Ken Kesey volunteered to be a subject
in experiments with hallucinogenic drugs.  Near the
end of the trial, he began working the night shift in
a mental ward.  He began to believe that the patients
weren't really crazy after all, just more
individualized than society was willing to accept. 
The result of his experiences was the book One Flew
Over the Cuckoo's Nest. 

The book, considered by many to be a masterpiece, was
widely used as required reading in colleges just as
baby boomers began to challenge authority. The movie
and play versions have both received critical acclaim.

The play, penned by Dale Wasserman, effectively
develops the theme of the book.  It is a grim satire
set among the patients and workers in a mental
institution.  It tells the story of Randle McMurphy,
an energetic con man, who seeks institutionalization
as a means of escaping the rigors of a prison work
farm without realizing that his short stay may turn
out to be forever as he has given up his rights when
he entered the facility.   Before long, in order to
reduce the sexual and emotional impotence of the men
at the institution, he challenges the dictatorial
Nurse Ratched. McMurphy becomes a hero, changing the
lives of the inmates, but pays for his defiance with
consequences that bring a startling conclusion to the
story. 

This is a very difficult script to produce.  Its many
nuances require unique acting skills as each character
is finely developed, even those who do not speak.  The
Porthouse production, under the adept direction of Sue
Ott Rowlands, is startlingly forceful.  Rowlands hones
fine performances from her cast, paces the production
with precision, and competently leads the audience
through the humor and pathos.  

Rowlands is ably assisted by a fine technical crew. 
Nolan O’Dell’s sterile set adds to the feeling of
isolation and despair.  Emily Cooper’s costumes give
us clear pictures of each character.

But most important is the cast.  Annie Fitzpatrick,
who portrays Nurse Ratched, received one of the
highest compliments an actress can receive...she was
booed during the curtain call.  She was so effective
in her controlled performance that the members of the
audience came to hate Nurse Ratched, and could not
separate Fitzpatrick from the character, even when the
play was over.  

Marty Lode, as McMurphy, was the perfect foil for
Ratched.  He teased, taunted, feigned and struck with
the effectiveness of a boa constrictor.  He was
charming and manipulative in a totally natural way. 
Never did acting get in the way of clarity of 
character development.

Donald Clark was pathetically perfect as the
stuttering, mother-controlled man child Billy.  Adam
Hoffman’s twisting hands, inappropriate grins, Albert
Einstein hairdo, and bulging eyes made Anthony Martini
a living being.  Dudley Swetland, made the role of
Dale Harding his.  The best educated of the men on the
ward, Harding gives the audience much of the
information we need.  He tells McMurphy how Nurse
Ratched is able to maintain her power, how
electroshock therapy works, what a lobotomy does to
people. Swetland gives us hope as we see him change
and seems ready to move on thanks to McMurphy. Chief
Bromden often acts as our Greek chorus and guides us
through the play.  He is a tall and strong Native
American who feigns muteness and deafness to protect
himself from pain.  McMurphy rescues him from his
silence.  He, in turn, rescues McMurphy from life as a
vegetable.   Michael Greyeyes gives a powerful and
finely tuned performance as the Chief.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is a play filled with
questions.  It asks, what is insanity?  What is
morality?  It challenges the symbols of conformity and
the role of therapeutic intervention.  It probes human
freedom versus control.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is a powerful play,
given an intelligent, sensitive, and insightful
production at Porthouse Theatre.  It’s a winner!

Performance dates for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
are July 4-20.  The theatre is located on the grounds
of the Blossom Center.  Tickets range from $15-20,
depending on the day of the week and are available
from noon to 6 pm by calling 330-929-4416 or 800-262-9444.

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