London and Life Lessons
Anyone who has grown up in a small town or community surrounded by the same people can relate to the feeling of social claustrophobia. During adolescence, when emotions are high and everyone wants to fit in, this becomes even more pronounced. In “Cuckoo”, written by Lisa Carroll and set in Ireland, these themes are explored on a whirlwind journey of popularity, insecurities and general teenage angst.
Iona, played by Caitriona Ennis, has spent her whole life yearning to be part of the popular crew. Her mute non-binary friend Pingu, played by Elise Heaven, convinces her to leave the small town of Crumlin, Ireland for a new life in London. All of a sudden, the popular crew – Toller (Sade Malone), Pockets (Colin Campbell) and Trix (Peter Newngton) – take an interest in them and the drama of teenage life ensues! The plot is not the most original, but the journey that each character goes on is incredibly emotive. Pingu is able to convey so much with so few words (none). Their characters are unique and well executed; the manner with which the non-binary element is introduced and developed is perfect. Other writers should take notes! Iona and Toller are quite unimaginative characters who go on the usual expected journeys: the loser who realizes what she had all along and the popular girl who realizes being nice doesn’t hurt. That being said, the actors all execute their characters brilliantly. With such a small cast (only five people) and approximately two hours of high energy material without an interval, the endurance of these actors must be admired.
The script constantly throws in references which hit a sweet spot for millennials. Iona, for example, lists her London to do list: “the big Topshop, Ministry of Sound and Wetherspoons”. Phones are used throughout the performance. Whether it be actors texting, taking pictures or watching snapchat stories, these moments always worked with the plot and did not feel forced. The themes of popularity, adolescence and bullying might be universal but by integrating social media, this modern take is all the more meaningful.
The audience was seated in a few rows facing each other, with a space in the middle, the stage. This made for some slightly uncomfortable moments as you could find yourself staring at someone in the audience across. This did however make for a truly shared experience as you could literally see others going through the same emotions, evoked from the play, as you were. The actors would storm onto and off the stage in different directions, making for a dynamic experience. Music was very important, especially for setting the scene as a party, just outside a party, or even a chicken shop. Strobe lighting was used to recreate the slow-motion clubbing scenes which are so ubiquitous to coming-of-age TV shows.
Overall, this play is perfect for the binge watching generation, who won’t want to take their eyes off of it. It is at times funny, at times sad, and at times moving but it is definitely unique in relation to the characters, the stage setup and the overall execution.
-4 stars
