Review: Cock at 53two is ‘searing portrayal of emotional vulnerability and difficult choices’

Mike Bartlett’s play Cock was first staged in 2009, and it is an exploration of the labels we give ourselves falling in love with people, as opposed to the badge they are wearing.

It is full of fascinating twists and turns.

Joe Gill plays John, a man who does not know what he wants. He is also in the middle of a crisis and torn between his on/off lover played by John O’Neil and a woman he has met and fallen for, played by Hannah Ellis Ryan.

Cock at 53Two

In 2024, this dilemma does not seem like a biggie but labels still exist and people either wear them with pride or reject them, not wanting to be pigeonholed. If you came out, like John at university, you will relate to his recollections. He remembers friends congratulating him, and supporting him. But he faced life confused by how he was ‘supposed’ to be. This is where Bartlett’s writing really ignites, as it is perceptive, knotty and there is no simple resolution in sight.

As John spars with these two possible loves and weighs up the pros and cons of each one, your sympathies constantly switch, as someone is going to be let down by the close. And this is not Strictly Come Dancing featuring a dance-off to see who the winner is, this is life.

Rupert Hill’s production

Rupert Hill’s production is polished and slick and considering the fact it has been produced on a shoestring, it is incredibly powerful and does leave you feeling each punch and drop kick which is delivered through Bartlett’s wonderful wordplay.

Joe Gill conveys the cocky (I couldn’t resist!) exterior and the vulnerable interior of John with ease. He goes through a gamut of emotions and breathes life into a problematic character, who is not easy to like. When two vulnerable people are standing in front of him, he almost grades them there and then. But Gill manages to show you what lurks behind this façade.

John O’Neil – acting chameleon

This is the third time I have seen John O’Neil perform and he is a chameleon. He totally embodies a character through far more than words. His body language is so expressive and his ability to come in and out of a scene and remain in character as he sits next to audience members is a sight to behold. And, even though his character is cruel because of his low self-esteem, I had full sympathy for him and his plight.

Hannah Ellis Ryan plays a feisty and optimistic character, who is far more than a third wheel. She has a When Harry Met Sally moment which I will not ruin, but it is funny and brilliantly staged and incredibly brave. It highlights her versatility – her character is no wallflower and a rejection of the ‘the other woman’ stereotype.

I enjoyed this production far more than I liked the actual play. For me, it goes round and round in circles and reminds me of an essay which seeks a conclusion and cannot find one. It wants to be profound and make valid statements on the blurred lines that we face, and how society boxes us in, and then we oblige. But it takes a long time to get to the point and John is such a selfish character who puts his lovers on trial, like criminals in a line-up. It is difficult to watch this, and John is never that engaging to me, so I struggle to see why the two candidates don’t do one and get out.

I also wish during the dinner scene, featuring the brilliant scene stealer Colin Connor, that there was a table and chairs. As it would nail the awkwardness of this last supper, far more than having the characters pace up and down.

This said, Cock is a small but beautifully bleak fringe production which is carried by four excellent performances, and Grace Bastyan’s lighting design which demands your attention. If you liked the film Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner and Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf, there is something for you to savour.

Tickets for Cock at 53Two

Cock is at 53two until 17^th November and can be booked here.