Cuckoo at the Royal Court Theatre

 

 

I can only remember once before  visiting the Royal Court Theatre in Sloane Square and that was in 2003. David Haig and Rosemund Pike  starred in Hitchcock Blonde. The theatre is, unfortunately, showing it's age. It needs a Lloyd Webber type to undertake a major refurbishment. But it does show brand new dramas of which there are so few. Cuckoo is by Michael Wynne with direction by Vicky Featherstone. 

The cast is made up of Grandmother Doreen (Sue Jenkins), her two daughters Carmel (Michelle Butterly on the left) and Sarah (Jodie McNee) and Carmel's troubled daughter Megyn (Emma Harrison). They seem to spend most of their time at Doreen's house, especially Megyn who takes to Doreen's bed and refuses to come out. for a long time. So we knew who the cuckoo was. Indulged by her grandmother, talk about an awful teenager. 

So a kitchen sink drama for today, complete with mobile phones which seem to be continually in use. Including messaging each other.  For all of them. They seem to live in Birkenhead as I caught a glimpse of a shopping bag. The dialogue was terrific and the acting first rate. Unfortunately the story is disappointingly weak. The best bit comes when Doreen (bereaved for four years) is going on a date, much to the distress of her daughters. Their interrogation ends up in a slanging match that ups the dramatic stakes to where they should be. The play has mixed reviews but I'm just thankful there are such dramas still being written and performed.

I left the theatre at 4.40pm and was back at Tring by 5.50pm. A very quick journey home. The day had been warm (26C) and sunny, so different to most of the weather recently.