Cock – Smock Alley – Review

4 – 8 Mar 2025 @ 8pm
Sat 8 @ 3pm – Boys’ School – Smock Alley

Cock tells the story of John (Séan Mc Manus), a gay man who has found himself with an unusual problem. John is in a long-term relationship with his partner (“M” played by Joseph Ryan Warner). Trouble starts when John has a fling with a woman (“W” played by Claire Gleeson). John is unhappy in his existing relationship for several reasons and starts to think he might be able to turn his experiment into a new life! Both M and W want John in their lives, so he is forced to make a decision on his new life!

The play was written by English playwright Mike Bartlett and premiered in 2009 at the Royal Court Theatre in London. Bartlett has established himself as a major name in English Theatre and his work has been performed at the National Theatre (Earthquakes in London, 2010). His latest play Unicorn is currently running at The Garrick Theatre, London, and has a similar premise to Cock, exploring the lives of three individuals involved in a Throuple. Cock was performed in the New Theatre, Dublin in 2016 but it it rare to see his work on stage in Dublin.

The location of the piece has been changed from London to Dublin, with references to the Leaving Cert, Euros and some other minor changes to the text. It is always interesting to see the subtle differences in language and manner between an Irish and English setting, with some instances and phrases seeming out of place. The director of the piece, Katie O’Halloran, keeps the focus on the actors, with minimal set and only light changes and music between scenes.

This is a difficult play to perform. The story is slowly revealed to the audience through a series of discussions and arguments between John and his two partners. The audience is on unstable ground as John is not being honest with either party. The non-linear storytelling adds to the complexity of the piece. The young cast does an impressive job of holding together the various strands. Joseph Ryan Warner provides many of the most explosive and humorous moments. Claire Gleeson shows a sympathetic and sincere side as W. The most difficult role is that of Séan Mc Manus as John, a weak man who is racked by indecision. This is a rare opportunity to see Barlett’s work on stage in Dublin, and it is an entertaining and engaging tale.

WRITTEN BY Mike Bartlett
DIRECTED BY Katie O’Halloran
PRODUCERS Muirenn Lyons & Sarah Wiley
COSTUME DESIGN BY Sarah T Mooney
STAGE MANAGEMENT BY Sarah T Mooney
CAST Claire Gleeson, Joseph Ryan Warner, Padraic Mc Ginley and Séan Mc Manus