Looniness Finds Home in ‘Cuckoo’s Nest’

Silent-screen star Lillian Gish once recalled an incident in which a director told her to “act crazy” to portray an insane woman. She objected, realizing that madness is about interior desolation.

For the most part, directors Mario and Joan Lescot have kept the acting crazy to a minimum in their revival of Dale Wasserman’s “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” at the Theatre District, but an actor’s tendency to embellish can get out of hand.

Most noticeable is David Rousseve’s pitiable Harding, not a nut case but an insufficient husband trying to reestablish his personality. Rousseve leans toward overly theatrical and flowery readings that are out of character.

As the central figure, the thoughtless and volatile Randle P. McMurphy, P.J. Agnew doesn’t stumble over this acting bump. His restrained, yet fiery and driven, McMurphy has a solid core of integrity and honesty. Continually tilting at the dominant ward mistress, Nurse Ratched (Alice Ensor), Agnew maintains the right balance of caustic charm and defensive good humor against the simmering menace beneath his surface.

Ensor’s Ratched is a model of control in one of the most difficult roles in modern theater because of her apparent immediate dislike of McMurphy and determination to destroy him. Ensor minimizes Ratched’s obsession and gives her a professional feel, hinting that she believes she’s doing what’s best for the ward.

McMurphy’s ward mates are excellent, their psychotic tics shy of overdone, their sense of humor intact. Brian Harvey’s manic Cheswick is mercurial; Christian Holiday’s hallucinatory Martini is defined by sly giggles and a fine attention to physical detail; Steve McCammon’s minimally obsessed Scanlon is subdued and controlled, and Landon Wright’s terrified Billy Bibbit is warm and properly endearing.

Co-director Mario Lescot assumes the role of Chief Bromden, who converses with his deceased father. Lescot is a monumental figure at those moments, in a single spotlight, looking much like Rodin’s “Balzac,” tortured and horrified by reality. Yet after McMurphy discovers that Bromden can hear and speak, Lescot abandons Bromden’s towering image, particularly in the frantic party scene, where he cavorts like a satyr, removing the intense stoicism that gives Bromden his powerful force.

Debbie Kissinger is touching as Ratched’s frail assistant, and Derrick Henderson and Joe Massie are properly heartless as the aides. Lynette Deveraux’s Candy Starr, who organizes McMurphy’s party, is as flagrant as she should be.

Vince Campbell is the insecure hospital psychiatrist Dr. Spivey, in the right mood and hitting the right notes, but he slightly overdoes Spivey’s weakness and absent-mindedness.

All in all, this is a worthy revival, even with its flaws, and most of those can be excused as par for the course in revivals of this tricky, difficult work.

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* “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” Theatre District, 2930 Bristol St., Costa Mesa. 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday and 7:30 p.m. April 9.Ends April 11. $15-$20. (714) 435-4043. Running time: 2 hours, 50 minutes.

P.J. Agnew: Randle P. McMurphy

Alice Ensor: Nurse Ratched

David Rousseve: Harding

Landon Wright: Billy Bibbit

Brian Harvey: Cheswick

Steve McCammon: Scanlon

Christian Holiday: Martini

Mario Lescot: Chief Bromden

Lynette Deveraux: Candy Starr

Vince Campbell: Dr. Spivey

Debbie Kissinger: Nurse Flinn

Derrick Henderson: Aide Williams

Joe Massie: Aide Warren

A Theatre District revival of Dale Wasserman’s drama. Directed by Mario and Joan Lescot. Scenic design: Two Blue Chairs. Lighting design: Extended Visions. Sound design: Bonnie Vise. Costume design: Rose Thibeault. Stage manager: Sharon Evans.