March 29, 2011 > Theatre Review: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Theatre Review: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest By Steve Worley "Vintery, mintery, cutery, corn, Apple seed and apple thorn, Wire, briar, limber lock, three geese in a flock, one flew east, one flew west, and one flew over the cuckoo's nest." From this nursery rhyme comes the title for a great novel, movie and a very good play. The original version of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" was a novel written by Ken Kesey and first published in 1962. He was inspired to write the novel from his experiences as a graveyard shift orderly at a mental health facility in Menlo Park. The film with Jack Nicholson came out in 1975, and the stage adaptation was written in 1963. "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" is an unforgettable story that evokes emotions such as independence, desire for freedom, individualism, acquiescence to authority, and oppressive abuse of that authority. The play is a modern classic that follows the mischievous and fun-loving Randle Patrick McMurphy, a convict admitted to the mental hospital for pretending to be mentally ill as a ploy to escape from laboring at a prison work farm. From the time that he is committed, McMurphy causes havoc to the established order as he engages with patients and teaches them the art of civil disobedience. McMurphy creates a frenzy at the mental institution by rebelling against the rules laid down by the authoritarian antagonist Nurse Ratched. You will experience the drama through the eyes, ears, and speech of Chief Bromden, a silent, giant observer among the patients. "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" is performed by a talented cast of Mission San Jose High School. Starring Erik Scilley as R.P. McMurphy, Lizzy Bode as Nurse Ratched, Rishi Saraswat as Chief Bromden, Karthik Raman as Dale Harding, Doug Wilson as Billy Bibbitt, Marie Anderson as Scanlon, Noa Kretchmer as Cheswick, Sai Moorthy playing dual roles as Nurse Flinn and Sandra, and Hannah Robinson playing dual roles as Mr. Martini and Candy Starr. The set was created by student director and actor Lizzy Bode. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest April 2 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Mission San Jose High School Little Theatre 41717 Palm Avenue, Fremont (510) 668-6077 up.msjhs@gmail.com Tickets: $14 General Admission, $12 Seniors/U.P. members