Cock starring Jonathan Bailey and Taron Egerton – review round-up

Cock – A dated debate?

The conversation around sexual identity has come a long way since 2009, when Cock first premiered with its story of a gay man falling in love with a straight woman, and its consequent, complex discussion of definitions, labels, bisexuality and beyond. Does it feel old-fashioned as a result?

Some critics think it does. “Had it been written in, say 1969, its portrait of a gay man who tumbles into a physical relationship with a member of the opposite sex might have seemed audacious,” writes Clive Davis (Times, ★★). “Today it feels like old news.”

Others, though, think Bartlett’s story stands the test of time. It is an “engrossing, visceral ride through desire and self-deceit,” writes David Benedict (Variety), while Andrzej Lukowski (TimeOut, ★★★★) praises it as “funny and playful but with a stark psychological intensity”, and Nick Curtis (Evening Standard, ★★★★) thinks it is “a fascinating play to revive now, when fluidity and self-identification are such hot issues”.

The rest of the reviewers fall somewhere in between. For Dominic Cavendish (Telegraph, ★★★), Cock has “a sepia tinge” but “still strikes a valid blow for unconstrained self-definition”, while for Natasha Tripney (The Stage, ★★★), it is “a difficult play to watch without an awareness of what it omits” but it “manages to say a lot about” relationships nonetheless.

“It no longer quite lands a knock-out blow – but it still draws blood,” concludes Sam Marlowe (iNews, ★★★).

Continues...

Cock – An impressive ensemble

This revival boasts perhaps the starriest cast in London right now – rapidly rising stars Jonathan Bailey and Jade Anouka, Golden Globe-winner Taron Egerton, and acting legend Phil Daniels. How do the reviewers rate their respective performances?

It is the Olivier Award-winning Bailey who garners the most praise. His lead performance as John, the self-obsessed gay man who falls for a straight woman, is “scintillating” for Benedict, “utterly captivating” for Isobel Lewis (Independent, ★★★★) and “terrific” for Lukowski.

“Bailey is almost perfectly cast, conveying a narcissist’s knowledge of his own appeal – all charming smiles and sidelong flashes of the eyes – but also suggesting, as the play progresses, a real despair about is inability simply to fall for someone and be happy,” writes Sarah Crompton (WhatsOnStage, ★★★★).

Egerton and Anouka are also admired. Egerton is “affecting in his romantic desperation” according to Arifa Akbar (Guardian, ★★★) and finds “a mixture of barely contained resentment and submerged hurt” according to Tripney. Anouka, meanwhile, has “radiant dignity” according to Marlowe” and “brings a cool mix of innocence, intelligence and good ol’-fashioned horniness”, according to Lukowski.

Daniels is lauded, too – he is “marvellously patient” for Benedict, and “dependably great” for Curtis – and the critics conclude that the entire ensemble impresses. Their “star appeal is matched by their impressive stage credentials,” continues Curtis. And they share “great chemistry”, too.

Cock – Stylish or silly?

There are not many directors with CVs as extensive and award-laden as that belonging to Marianne Elliott – War Horse, Curious Incident, Angels in America, Company, Death of a Salesman, plus three Olivier awards and three Tony awards. Is her staging here as impressive as her résumé?

Some critics like it a lot. Elliott’s direction is “icily acute” for Crompton and “expertly choreographed to illuminate ideas and tensions between characters” for Benedict. “Hensel’s mirrored metallic set suggests the way being loved can burnish our self-image, while Femi Temowo’s music and Annie-Lunnette Deakin-Foster’s movement woozily chart the shifting emotional landscape,” adds Marlowe.

Others, though, are not so sure. “Everything is overbright and overemphatic,” writes Davis, while Lukowski labels the production “a bit fiddlier than it needs to be” and Tripney notes that Hensel’s set has “a faint nightclub-toilet vibe”.

There is uncertainty, too, about the effectiveness of Elliott’s use of gesture and mime. It lends the production “an overt, rather too cute theatricality” according to Akbar, and is “quite distracting” according to Lukowski. It “projects modish style" without attaining "intensity", agrees Cavendish.

Cock – The verdict

Some reviewers think Bartlett’s play has lost none of its lustre in the 13 years since it was written, but others think the shift in discourse around sexuality has left it far behind. It is the same story with Elliott’s production – some critics reckon it is stylishly staged, others think it is overly fussy. Everyone agrees that the acting is excellent, though.

Star ratings range from two to four, suggesting that the critics can’t quite make up their minds about Cock.