'Chief' shines in Marin play

Actor and SF State student Lee A. Sprague spends the entire first act of "One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest" on the stage -- and silent. But he is easily the most interesting part of the play.

The play takes place in a mental institution, where the protagonist is supposed to be a character named R.P. McMurphy, who represents the spirit of rebellion. Sprague's character, Chief Bromden, is the narrator.

From another perspective, McMurphy is just a posturing macho guy who feels that being told what to do will threaten his manhood. Chief Bromden is the one who has a transformation during the play, and whose rebellion has some significance and larger meaning.

Sprague tries to be invisible in the first half -- at 6 feet7 inches, no easy task. Yet he manages somehow.

The acting and directing are well done, but the play is full of symbolism that becomes empty clichÈs because the characters are dated and shallow. Not so with Chief Bromden's few and well-chosen words.

For Sprague, his lines -- only taped thoughts in the first half -- tell the story of the play, but a larger story as well.

"Everybody gets something different from this play," Sprague said.

What I got was the clarity of Chief Bromden running like a quiet river through the play and through the mess that is society.

"The ward is a society in miniature," the doctor says at one point. What we see on stage reflects our male-dominated society, but fails to contribute much. The entire first half we watch the men on the ward dealing with manly things; Billy is guilt-ridden because of his mother, Harding is afraid of his wife's breasts (and women generally, we suspect), the lecherous Scanlon is in for rape and McMurphy is your average chauvinist. Ho - hum.

Though the play does delve into some deeper issues, and the cast does a good job, the characters themselves lacked depth for me. McMurphy, played by Ron Kaell, is not a strong leader, but weak. The evil Nurse Ratched, played by Jamie Jones, is compassionate rather than dominant, making her realistic and believable, but uninteresting. She probably really believes that she acts in the men's best interests.

The Chief is the voice of reason and sanity in the miniature society of the ward. Ironically, he is one of the few who have been committed to the institution. The rest, except the lobotomized Ruckly, are there voluntarily.

The play is definitely worth checking out. But listen to this character -- especially if you get bored with the others.

This is the 25th anniversary of the play based on Ken Kesey's novel. The Marin Theatre Company production was directed by Lee Sankowich, who also directed the play at San Francisco's Little Fox Theatre in 1970.

The play runs Tuesdays through Sundays through Oct. 22. Call 388-5208 for tickets.

[ Golden Gater Online October 5, 1995 ]

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