By Judd Hollander
While one may wonder why playwright Mike Bartlett chose to title his show the way he did, there's no denying the ultimate power of the work, one which puts three individuals, and at times a fourth, on a collision course over relationships, peace of mind and, more importantly, the question of personal identity in this taut, intermissionless comedy-drama. The play, which began life at the Royal Court Theatre in London in 2009, is now making its New York stage debut at the Duke on 42nd Street.
John (Cory Michael Smith) and his boyfriend M (Jason Butler Harner) have been in a long-term relationship, but over time their passion has been supplemented by arguments and quarrels, not to mention continual nit-picking over most every little thing. Finally fed up, John decides to end his romance with M, an action which leaves M devastated. However, it's not long before John returns, wanting to give things another go. Yet John is not running back to M because he loves him, but rather because he's running away from something else. For during his absence, John has become intimately involved with a woman, designated as "W" (Amanda Quaid) - other than John, there are no proper names used - W not only being surprisingly sexually compatible with John, especially since she knows about his proclivity for men, but also seemingly the answer to all his hopes and dreams. John and W having many of the same tastes and attitudes, and both surprisingly wanting to move things forward into a more permanent situation.
Needless to say, M is somewhat flummoxed at this turn of events, a trend which doesn't halt upon John's return, as he continues to see W and M simultaneously, all the while denying he's bisexual and telling each exactly what they want to hear; thus keeping them both dangling while they wait for him to make a decision. Eventually M ends up inviting W over for dinner, determined to meet his rival, only to find out she is not at all what he expected, either in appearance or attitude. As W and M trade verbal barbs and inquires and John wishes desperately he could be anywhere else, it's safe to say that what follows will be an evening none of them will ever forget.
The first thing one notices when walking into the space is how the theatre has been set up, it being done in the round in a stadium style manner; the audience looking down upon the small playing area which the actors will use. The atmosphere reminding one of a gladiator arena or perhaps where a cock fight would be held; a bell sounding every so often to end the various scenes and sending the participating actors to neutral corners before beginning again.
This up close and personal feeling continues throughout the play as the story dances around the one question John refuses to confront: just what is it exactly that he wants. Is he in fact gay, as all have assumed and accepted as such, or just going through a phase? Does he want a life as a "normal" person, with a wife and kids, or does he just want to go through the motions, simply gliding through his existence and falling into the category in which everyone seems to think he belongs? The only obvious truism that quickly emerges is that John is definitely not happy, but whether he has the courage to confront and fix the situation is another thing entirely. Indeed it's not long before the question of sexual preference and genetic disposition begins to take a back seat to issues of happiness and contentment.
Smith is perfectly cast as John, a fellow who just wants things to be simple, but who is ultimately terrified of making a decision, telling lies to both W and M, trying not to hurt anyone and not wanting to burn bridges until it becomes obvious he has to just that in order for any of them to be able to move on. At first a seemingly weak individual, he eventually bursts forth with a searing explanation of angst as to how he is so tired of being what everyone expects him to be and just wants to be himself. Yet at the same time he's often afraid to do the hard work that usually comes with achieving that goal.
Harner is very strong as M, a somewhat sarcastic sort who loves John dearly and who uses humor as both a defense and weapon, and thus delivers some of the funniest and most telling lines in the play. In addition, just like John, M may find himself settling for something less than what he ultimately wants if he's not careful.
Quaid is excellent in the pivotal role of "the other woman." Both a companion and mother type to John, the two characters having a wonderful chemistry, with their love-making scene handled with taste, humor and honest emotional impact. At the same time, W is nobody's fool, thus making her a perfect foil for M in their scenes together. She's also realistic enough to know what she faces in her struggle to have a life with John.
Cotter Smith works well as M's father (designation: "F") whom M invites to the dinner for emotional support and who quickly throws his own opinions into the mix, urging John to stay with his son, though F's feelings may be colored because of his emotional involvement with both men and also because of his possible, almost unconscious attraction to W.
Director James MacDonald deserves great credit here for taking the script and running with it, making the different scenes and emotional circumstances play off each other nicely until they all combine in a tangled web of energy where hot button issues are brought to the fore with W, F and M and alternatively battling each other and then allying together against John, until John realizes it's up to him to make the final move.
Michael Buether's set works perfectly, nicely setting the scenes and structure where, completely absent of props, the four performers must rely on their acting skills and the power of the script to tell this tale. One with an ending that is completely believable and quite surprisingly satisfies the requirements the story has set up.
Playwright Bartlett expertly tells a multilayered and emotionally laden story about finding out who one is and what one really wants out of life. Saddled with a perhaps unnecessary title, Cock is nonetheless, quite a strong piece of theatre.
Cock
By Mike Bartlett
Featuring: Cory Michael Smith (John), Jason Butler Harner (M), Amanda Quaid (W), Cotter Smith (F).
Scenic and Costume Design: Miriam Buether
Lighting Design: Peter Mumford
Sound Design: Darron L West
Directed by James MacDonald
The Duke on
Tickets: 646-223-3010 or http://www.new42ndstreet.org/
Information: http://www.cockfightplay.org/
Running Time: 90 minutes, no intermission
Closes: October 7, 2012
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