Aaron Pierre and Giles Terera to star in ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST at The Old Vic
The Old Vic will present One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Dale Wasserman from 1 April-23 May, starring Aaron Pierre (Rebel Ridge, Mufasa: The Lion King) as Randle P. McMurphy and Giles Terera (Hamilton, Othello) as Dale Harding.
Based on Ken Kesey’s countercultural masterpiece, Clint Dyer directs a bold new staging that reignites the spirit of the original novel. A searing exploration of colonialism and the social structures built to silence dissent, this production invites audiences to experience the story in a powerful new light.
Inside a psychiatric facility, Chief Bromden has been silent for years — confined and maligned by a system that labels, divides and forgets. But he has a story to tell. He’s just been waiting for someone to listen.
Enter Randle P. McMurphy, a gambler and provocateur whose defiance unsettles the ward — and sparks something long dormant in Bromden and his fellow patients. Under the iron rule of Nurse Ratched, they have been stripped of their humanity. Now, McMurphy’s rebellion reminds the patients of their voices — and what it means to be free.
The creative team also includes set and costume designer Ben Stones, lighting designer Chris Davey, sound designer Benjamin Grant, movement director Lucie Pankhurst, casting director Heather Basten CDG CSA, and cultural consultant Nathan Woodward.
Full casting is to be announced.
Clint Dyer said: “It feels such an honour, and the perfect time to place this wonderful play, based on the counterculture novel by Ken Kesey, back into the discourse. In directing this great play, I hope to hold more closely its original conversation on colonialism and identity from the novel, whilst maintaining its sense of mischief, anarchy and pathos.”
In Artistic Director Matthew Warchus’ final season all productions will take place completely in-the-round, forming an intimate seating configuration that surrounds the stage.
Matthew Warchus said: “I’m delighted to be welcoming the brilliant Clint Dyer to be a part of this In The Round Season at The Old Vic. We can’t wait to share his exciting new take on this iconic story.”
