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Michael Cox reviews a 'hilarious yet poignant' production.
Mike Bartlett’s one-act Cock could have been nothing more than a collection of relationship clichés. John, a gay man who’s just ended a long-term relationship with M, has had a heterosexual liaison with W and is now confused: he has developed feelings for both. Is he gay, straight or bi, and who does he want to be with?
Luckily, Bartlett’s script isn’t a sitcom set-up but is instead a mature exploration of sex and relationships in the modern era. More importantly, the play actively questions sexual identity and one’s place within a community.
Andy Arnold’s production is terrific—for the most part. Playing on a bare stage with only light changes to denote the passage of time and place, the staging is sharp and quick-paced. Only the movement pieces that take place in the first half between scenes ring false, but this is forgivable.
The biggest triumph comes in its casting. James Anthony Pearson is great as John. He takes a character who could have been a frustrating one-note bore and creates a sympathetic individual. His dithering between M and W is also understandable as he shows clear affection for both. Isobel McArthur’s W and Vincent Friell’s semi-deux ex machina role of F are also interesting characters who are easy to empathise with. However, the revelation here is Johnny McKnight. His character might start off in a similar vein we’ve seen from him in his excellent stage work in pantos, but he turns those expectations on its head and reveals a heart-breaking vulnerability he hasn’t shown yet, and it is moving.
Hilarious yet poignant with great performances, Cock is a theatrical delight. Just don’t expect subtlety.
Cock performs at the Tron until February 20 before touring to Lemon Tree and the Traverse.
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