Find out why the audience relished this collision of minds
THE inmates of an American psychiatric ward are brainwashed into subservience by a cocktail of mind control and drugs under the direction of the implacable Nurse Ratched.
Feigning madness to escape a harsh prison life, serial convict Randle P McMurphy is admitted on to the ward in Hebden Bridge Little Theatre's production of One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest.
His rebellious attitude immediately stirs up the status quo as he challenges the rules that have broken the men's spirit.
McMurphy is convinced he can change things and equally sure he is capable of smelting the iron lady.
A spell of electric shock treatment fails to quell this arrogance.
Ken Kesey's tale shrewdly observes the psychological battle to determine whether the patients remain suppressed by the hospital.
At times dark and menacing, the play explores sombre themes yet gently pokes fun at the fallibilities that have caused the men to become institutionalised.
The sharp contrast between the cool, measured Miss Ratched (Trish Commons) and the anarchic McMurphy (Chris Berry) is perfectly captured.
The audience relished this play. Berry, superb in the lead role was supported by a talented cast; Mike Bellenie as Chief Bromden and Peter Garner as Billy Bibbit were particularly notable.
I strongly recommend you see this play to find out whether the irresistible force of McMurphy or the immovable object of Ratched wins the collision – you won't be disappointed.
Containing some strong language, it runs until Saturday (February 27).
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Halifax
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -1 C to 0 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 2 C to 5 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North west
