Tuesday, December 17

Tag: Cuckoo

Cuckoo – Everyman Theatre
North West

Cuckoo – Everyman Theatre

Familiarity breeds contempt and seeing the whole of this household glued to their phones is exasperating to say the least. They appear to be trapped in the mobile world, excuse the dichotomy, with every aspect covered: news flashes; online buying and selling; videos, posts, messages. It feels as if there's more ping than dialogue sometimes. Set in a slightly shabby, old-fashioned house in Birkenhead; a bit parochial but like everywhere else, places are closing down, there's a gig economy and all sorts going on in schools, the increasing vice of violence, and the influence of the would be virtuous. We learn all this through the Greek Chorus of Doreen's two daughters, didactic Sarah in particular. The division between the cosy interior and the scary outside world (and let's face it, has i...
Cuckoo – Royal Court
London

Cuckoo – Royal Court

Michael Wynne's play delves into the lives of a typical family, examining the profound impact of mobile phones on their relationships. Seventeen-year-old Megyn barricades herself inside her grandmother's bedroom following a heated family discussion, leaving her mother Carmel and sister Sarah deeply concerned. The play explores the isolation caused by these devices, their psychological allure, the troubles they pose for teenagers, and the detachment experienced in online encounters, devoid of genuine emotion. While Carmel's character is well-developed, her dismissal of her sister, mother, and daughter presents subjective and intriguing reactions, leaving the audience yearning for deeper exploration. Under the direction of Vicky Featherstone, the staging of Cuckoo remains straightforward ...