Former Creative Director Shane Bosher returns to the Silo theatre directing a throbbing, juicy, modern, comedy that will fuck with your brain.
Staging Cock the 2010 Olivier award winning play in New Zealand for the first time feels like a return to form for the Silo theatre brand – the company that taught Auckland what edgy theatre is.
Cock is not quite as edgy as the name might suggest. Anyone expecting ‘Shopping and Fucking’ for the ‘social’ generation needs to alter their expectations; the swearing is minimal and the sex scene – (there is one) is beautifully understated, contains no physical contact and dare I say it, is heterosexual!
Cock is John’s story. An angst-ridden twenty/thirty-something played by Duncan Ragg. He decides to end his relationship with ‘M’ (played with charismatic flare by Matt Minto) because they are fundamentally different people. But after years together he waivers and decides to go back… the only problem is he has met ‘W’ – yes the letters stand for man and woman. Now John must decide what he wants and why he wants it, a journey that is a lot of fun for the audience, not so much for John.
Thanks to Matt Minto’s whirlwind interpretation of ‘M’ the opening night performance began with instant energy. John on the other hand is a more difficult character to instantly warm to, but is played with such realism by Duncan Ragg, you can’t help but feel sympathetic to his absorbing plight.
Mark Barlett’s dialogue is a wonderfully honest snapshot of the conflicting experiences of an unravelling relationships and combines beautifully with the performances that both actors are clearly putting their all into. The chemistry between John and M is so strong, you feel a desperate sadness when ‘M’ exits the stage. “How could the scenes with ‘W’ possibly compare?” I ask myself with in trepidation. Then Matilda Ridgway enters the stage.
Is it her vacant far away stare? Or the way she delivers every line like it’s just entered her head with a wide-eyed naivety that makes every motive totally transparent? Her performance is completely engrossing and just like John, I’m wondering if I’m even more in love with than ‘M’. Just minutes prior I hadn’t thought that was possible. Come to think of it, neither had John!
As designer Jane Hakararia’s moody lighting signals ‘W’s exit, I am left giddy with excitement that a meeting between ‘M’ and ‘W’ is impending. Perhaps the perfect point for an interval, but this 90 minute play runs straight through so go for a wee beforehand!
I won’t spoil the rest for you, but will make it clear that this is one of the best productions you’ll see in Auckland this year. The ending has a fabulously dark sting in the tail, as a pin that only been hinted at throughout the play, finally pricks!
For more information about the show or to buy tickets, head on over to www.aucklandlive.co.nz
