MORE COCK (AGAIN, NOT WHAT YOU’RE THINKING!)
COCK: If you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all. That is, until you see Nick Sugar’s … interpretation of Mike Bartlett’s stage play, COCK. A sharp, witty and candid look at one man’s sexual identity crisis and the painful effect it has on those around him. Choices in life have consequences, which inevitably create a winner and a loser and in this case, winning isn’t necessarily a victory.
The Avenue Theater, located at 417 East 17th Avenue in Downtown Denver, has been producing comedies, musicals, and stage plays since 1985. Their current production, an Olivier-award-winning show, is directed by the notable, Nick Sugar — and in sure-sugar-style, his unique and innovative directorial approach brings out levels of the characters and storyline that are refreshingly unexpected.
James O’Hagan Murphy plays the main character, John, an incredibly selfish and miserably indecisive gay man who causes all of the people in his life to unknowingly show up to a ‘cockfight’ where he’s the greatest or not-so-great prize — and where the ‘spurs’ come out, resulting in a blood-bath.
The man in John’s life, known only as ‘Man’ and played by the engaging David Russell, is a love torn and protectively cynical partner.
The ‘hen’ in John’s life finds herself a not-so-innocent participant in the proverbial ‘cockfight’ and is played by the talented Karen Slack.
And in the final scenes we meet M’s widowed and very biased ‘Father’, played by the accomplished Denver-veteran Jim Hunt, the self-proclaimed referee of the ‘final bout’.
Cock is a straight (or not-so-straight) play known for its strong characters and well-crafted dialogue and is showing at the Avenue Theater through April 11.
Tickets: $26.50 (Discounts available for Students and Seniors)
When: Now through April 11
Where: Avenue Theater
(417 East 17th Ave. in Denver)
