Student directed ‘Cuckoo’ is well worth seeing

“You can’t be sent to an institution. You’re already here,” said the big nurse —and I could do nothing but agree that I was in a psych ward.

Mt. Hood’s student production of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”  — which opened Thursday in the Studio Theater — was one of the most impressive MHCC performances of the past three years as seen during Wednesday night’s dress rehearsal.

This reviewer had not read the book or seen the movie of the same title but had a clear idea of what would happen: Some guy goes into a mental institution and causes problems. What I watched was a play that firmly held my interest and was pieced together quite well.

The production has an approximate run time of two hours and 25 minutes, including a 15-minute intermission, but it never felt too long. The content is appropriate for a college audience, with references to alcohol and rape, and has enough comedic relief to not feel too serious in its entirety. I wouldn’t recommend anyone under the age of 13 attend the play and to keep in mind that the 1975 film was rated R.

The set was detailed and realistic and that was much appreciated. It turned the intimate Studio Theater into a room in a psych ward. The details of the tile floor and the staff room behind glass were wonderful touches. All in all, it felt most like a movie with the invisible fourth wall where the audience is seated.

The play maintained the integrity of real-life throughout its scenes. While dialogue was exchanged between primary characters on the stage, the other remaining characters continued to do whatever they were doing. For example, the acute patients would be playing a game of cards and interacting with each other while the staff would be silently but visibly conversing, just as there are multiple things happening in any room with multiple groupings.

The costumes were appropriate to the setting but also conveyed critical character information. The loose sweats and baggy t-shirts of the patients added to the honesty of the set while Randle McMurphy’s  (Matt Rowning) greaser appearance assisted his “I don’t give a fuck” attitude. Nurse Ratched (Sydney Hope), Nurse Flinn (Amanda Dike) and Doctor Spivey (Tyler Whalen) all had professional garb to help emphasize their authoritative roles.

The acting overall was genuine. There were a few moments where things felt over-rehearsed — such as when the aides Williams (Dylan Gardner) and Warren (Dante Zambrano) came in — but nothing that detracted from the play.

The actors’ ability to adjust to mistakes was mostly flawless, with the best example coming from an interaction between McMurphy and Nurse Ratched. The nurse had placed her hand underneath McMurphy’s chin for him to spit out the gum he was chewing that she didn’t approve of. During the dress rehearsal, Rowning, as McMurphy, spit out the gum out but it fell on the floor instead of into the nurse’s hand.

The actors’ response was perfect and well in character. Instead of bending over to pick up his gum, Hope, as Nurse Ratched, stood there, imposing and authoritative as ever and still waiting for the gum in her hand. Rowning responded, in the rebellious nature of McMurphy, by picking up the gum, putting it back in his mouth and chewing some more before spitting it successfully into Hope’s hand. I was impressed at one of the most flawless cover-ups I have seen and it was funny enough that I wouldn’t mind if it always happened that way.

The play is definitely worth seeing. There are performances tonight and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. as well as May 16-18 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 for general admission and $5 for students and seniors and available at www.mhcc.edu/theatre or at the box office.