Review: CUCKOO, Royal Court Theatre
Photo credit: Manuel Harlan
Cuckoo is a dark comedy about generations in the current age. Written by Michael Wynne, an Olivier Award winner and regular at the Royal Court, Cuckoo could not be more topical.
Cuckoo is an amusing and adept study on present British society through the vehicle of a matriarchal family. We open on three generations sat round a table eating fish and chips...how British! Throughout the play, the four women struggle to separate themselves from their phones, which are the perfect distraction from the perils of the modern world. Doreen and her grown up daughters, Carmel and Sarah, are downstairs and for the majority of the play, teenager Megyn has locked herself upstairs in her grandmother’s bedroom; but no one is sure why. This satirical play explores the different ways in which we cope with our fears of the unknown in the ever changing world.
We can clearly see where writer Michael Wynne has taken inspiration from for this Scouse sitcom. The all-female cast of Sue Jenkins, Michelle Butterly, Jodie McNee and Emma Harrison all look at home in the incredibly detailed set of a kitchen and living room, complete with family photos and bags of crisps in the cupboard. You really get a sense that Wynne has taken the time to study female behaviour as the characters feel carefully crafted, which leads to lots of laughs as the audience recognise themselves. Perhaps some of the credit can be given to the direction of Artistic Director, Vicky Featherstone, who does have a lot to direct! There are plenty of props, stage directions and frequent pings from their mobile phones as message fly in and Doreen’s online auctions come to a close. The family dynamic is beautifully acted and each character gets the chance to tell their story but it does feel a shame that Emma Harrison, as Megyn, has such little dialogue and time on stage.
“I do love some David Attenborough, but even he can be a bit of a mix bag now, always going on about climate change”, remarks grandmother Doreen, which is met with laughter from the audience. This endearing and concerning line has frequently been used in the marketing for the play, which is misleading as there are actually only a few fleeting conversations about climate change. Cuckoo rattles through a lot of topics and maybe the piece could have had greater impact if it focused on fewer issues. For most of the play, we are led to interpret that Megyn will not get out of bed due to her fears about climate change. This is never answered and it does lead to some interesting discussions, which highlight the growing generational discord. Throughout the play, we are wondering who the cuckoo is and waiting for a climax that never really arrives.
This commentary on British society is clever and compelling but ultimately the amount of unanswered questions could leave you feeling a little dissatisfied...or maybe that is the point.
**** Four stars
Reviewed by: Sophie Luck
Cuckoo plays at the Royal Court Theatre until 19 August, with further information here.