ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST - IN BRISBANE
From outback shearing sheds to the wards of a psychiatric hospital is a big step but theatre director Terry Annesley has taken it in his stride. On the heels of his production of ReedyRiver, which played to capacity houses, he has tackled one of the twentieth century’s most significant dramas, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
Set in a psychiatric hospital when invasive medical procedures were commonly accepted, Cuckoo’s Nest takes us into a closed community where those who hold the power hold it absolutely and where for the vulnerable, submission and withdrawal are the best means of defense. It is a story of an individual driven by instinctive fairness - and the sheer joy of hell-raising - who challenges the system and attempts to replace the power of authority with the power of chaos. It examines the ways we all impact on each others’ lives and the ripples that are set in motion; it celebrates the tenacity of hope in the human spirit.
Adapted by Dale Wasserman from Ken Kesey’s novel the play was brought to international cinema audiences by Milos Forman’s film, starring Jack Nicholson as Randall P. McMurphy, the human catalyst whose induction into the hospital tears liberating breaches in the walls of restraint, literally and metaphorically.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, says Terry Annesley, is a masterpiece of theatre.
“To really work, theatre must elevate the human spirit,” he says. “Ken Kesey created an enduring drama rich in humour, tragedy and truth that has gathered to itself a cult following. We will strive to do honour to that story, to Kesey’s perceptions and portrayals, and to stay true to the spirit of a drama that for all its pain, is a clarion call of hope.
“As the director, I’m indeed fortunate to have access through the Starlight Theatre Co-op to some of the best emerging talent in Australia.”
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One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Directed by Terry Annesley
Presented by Theatre Genesis as Play 6 in Starlight Theatre Co-op’s Premiere Season
Centre Stage Theatre, 25 Quarry Street, Spring Hill ph 3839 3496
Evening 8pm on September 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27, Oct. 2, 3, 4
Saturday Matinees 2pm
Adult $31.25; student/ concession $25.25
Box Office: or 1300 762 545
Website:
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THE PLAY, DIRECTOR AND CAST
Synopsis
Maverick and gambler Randall P. McMurphy avoids a prison work farm sentence by having himself committed to a state mental institution. From the beginning he challenges the authority of the coldly controlling head nurse in the ward, Nurse Ratched. The other ward patients have been diagnosed with a range of psychiatric conditions and subjected to a range of treatments, including, in Ruckley’s case, pre-frontal lobotomy. They are attracted to McMurphy’s smart-alec, inclusive anarchy, which brings a sense of dangerous adventure into their lives. Chief Bromden, a dispossessed Native American diagnosed as catatonic, is a pivotal player in the drama that develops as Ratched and McMurphy battle for supremacy on the ward. Power triumphs; but power has many different forms.
The Director and Cast
DirectorTerry Annesley, winner of the Queensland Director of the Year 2002, is a popular and respected Brisbane actor with a wide breadth of experience gleaned over many years. Terry is a master of many disciplines; as well as acting and directing in stage plays, feature films, television films and commercials, for ten years he produced and anchored an award-winning radio sports program and has recorded sound for projects as diverse as Crocodile Dundee and ABC TV News.
The Patients
Randall P McMurphy is played by Bradley McCaw.
Bradley McCaw has performed lead roles in such shows as Rent, Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd, Kiss Me Kate, Little Shop of Horrors andJesus Christ Superstar. His 2004 world tour with singing group The Ten Tenors included a performance at the AFL Grand Final. He has performed alongside Rob Guest, David Hodson and Pete Murray.
Chief Bromden is played by Tim Hope-Hodgetts.
While Tim’s teenage daughter Chantelle is an old hand at acting, this is Tim’s first role since high school. A boy from the NSW bush (Forbes & Gulgong), Tim is a keen horse rider and under-12s rugby league coach but to date most of his theatrical performances have been for his customers at his butcher’s shop, Meat Tiny. Nicknamed Tiny Tim, at 6’3” Tim is the ideal build for his role as Big Chief Bromden. Starlight Theatre approached Tim to audition for the role and there are already indications that in future his daughter may have to battle for top billing!
Dale Harding is played by Craig Wood.
Craig’s interest in theatre began as a student at GriffithUniversity in the early nineties while he was studying a Bachelor of Education. Since graduating Craig has taught Performing Arts in Queensland and the UK. He presently works for Education Queensland as a Behaviour Support Visiting Teacher – a job that has informed and inspired his work as Dale Harding in Centre Stage’s present production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
Craig has recently returned to GriffithUniversity to undertake his Master in Drama Education for which he is writing a theatre-in-education play based on the experiences of Australia’s World War II ‘Rats of Tobruk’.
Craig’s has performed in The Crucible,Season at Sarsaparilla and Albert and has worked on numerous Arts Theatre productions, including Antigone, Cinderella and Snow Queen. Craig has also directed Noddy and Away for the Arts Theatre.
Billy Bibbit is played by Tom Yaxley.
"One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" is Tom's debut with Starlight Theatre. He was recently in Nash Theatre's "Romeo and Juliet" and in 2007 was involved with the Arts Theatre in "A Murder Has Been Arranged", "Keep Everything You Love" and "Jingo". He has also performed in "A Midsummer Nights Dream", "Oliver" and a self devised work "Boulevard Angel".
Cheswick is played by Gary McEwen.
Gary has previously worked with the Sunnybank, Savoyard and Centenary theatre companies, in productions that include Witness for the Prosecution, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat and Calamity Jane. In developing his role in Cuckoo’s Nest he draws on his observations of common human failings.
Martini is played by Quentin Ellison.
Coming full circle, Quentin’s role in Cuckoo’s Nest is as an off-beat Italian; his first acting role at primary school, in The Fruit Shop, was Enzo, an off-beat Italian. Since his auspicious primary school beginnings Quentin has learned many aspects of stage craft; operating lights, stage management, voice-over work, singing, presentation on training videos and student and feature films. His acting experience covers work with Queensland Musical Theatre, Mustard Seed, Centenary Players, Nash Theatre, and the Irish Theatre in productions that include Oklahoma, Pirates of Penzance, Bedroom Farce, Accidental Death of an Anarchist and The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui. Quentin also produces and presents a popular talkback music and arts program, DiversaTea and Talk, on Radio 4ZZZ.
Ruckley is played by Lindsay Fletcher.
A freelance camera operator and sound recordist, this is Lindsay's first production with Starlight.His credits include Brigadoon with Sunnybank Theatre Group, Anything Goes and No No Nanette with Queensland Music Theatre. Lindsay is also Stage Manager for "Tarantarra" with QMT.
Scanlon is played by James Trigg.
James has joined Centre Stages production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest fresh from a two-term tour with the Queensland Arts Council. Two-time winner of the Brisbane Arts Theatre drama festival Best Actor Award for his roles as Jerry in Albee's TheZoo Story, and Robert in On an Average Day, his other theatre credits include, Blood Wedding, The Woods, Curse of the Starving Class, Sexual Perversity inChicago and Wet and Dry. His short film credits include, The Mime ThatAin't Worth a Dime, The Typecast, Only a Moment, Loose Change, and Suburban Dreaming.James is currently studying a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Theatre at Griffith University and has more recently taken to writing with his play Stationary being produced by The Emerge Project in conjunction with The Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts early next year.
The Staff
Nurse Ratched is played by Imogen Rogers.
Imogen Rogers graduated from Queensland University of Technology with a Bachelor of Creative Industries (Drama) in 2006 and since then has worked on a number of projects. This year she performed with Pygmalion Theatre at the Adelaide Fringe Festival in A Slip of a Boy, played Lady Capulet in Grin and Tonic’s Romeo and Juliet and has worked with the Queensland Opera in the Barber of Seville. She has also devised, co-written and performed Sextool.com, which featured in the Melbourne Short and Sweet Festival and the Metro Arts Creative Development Festival in 2005. Imogen has trained in physical theatre and clowning, contemporary, modern and hip-hop dancing and trains with the Queensland Actors Playhouse. This is her debut with Starlight Theatre.
Dr Spivey and Aide Turkle are played by Chris Vaag
Chris started acting in high school then took a twelve-year break to travel and work (his “real” job is as a professional horticulturalist). Since being lured back to acting Chris has worked in short films and with Arts Theatre and Nash Theatre in productions that include The Crucible, Heartbreak Kid, Shimada and Romeo and Juliet. His last role was as a twenty-year old; in Cuckoo’s Nest he will play much older men, a challenge that Chris enjoys.
Aide Williams is played by James McMenamin.
While this is James’ theatre debut, he has played in several short films, including the lead role in Day 7, which featured in the Brisbane Queer Film Festival. He is in his second year of study at the Queensland Actors Playhouse.
Aide Warren is played by John Devine
Brisbane- born John Devinewas educated at Marist Brothers, Rosalie and moved to Miles in 1983 where he did farm and hotel work until buying a bakery in1994. John performed in five theatre productions for Miles Arts Council including the award winning The World Bra Unclipping Championships at Garimba directed by Terry Annesley and performed at the 2006 Brisbane Exhibition. He now owns and operates a lawn mowing business in Wellington Point.
The Prostitutes
Candy Star is played by Wendy Brewster
This role is a change of pace for Wendy Brewster; her last role was asa shearer’s virtuous wife in Theatre Genesis’ production of ReedyRiver. A graduate of the Actors Conservatory, Wendy’s love of stage began in high school musicals at Woodford and Kilcoy. She has studied singing, music, film editing, street theatre, script analysis, dancing and working with under-eights in developing creative skills.
Sandra is played by Lauren Heron.
Lauren’s parents are a soldier and a teacher respectively; she is the first in her family to take to the stage. She started acting at the age of ten and she hasn’t stopped since. She lived and worked on the Gold Coast , where she appeared at Javeenbah Theatre in shows that include 48 Shades of Brown,What Is the Matter With Mary Jane and Butcherbirds Cry at Midnight, a contemporary Australian play. Lauren, who plays drums in the rock band Dorothy Alice, graduated in Drama from the Queensland University of Technology in February this year. (She says that working in a major mid-city bookshop makes it easy to source audition pieces)!
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