Taron Egerton and Jonathan Bailey in Cock
(Picture: Brinkhoff-Moegenburg)No, you don’t see one, and no, it isn’t really about that. Mike Bartlett’s witty, provoking 2009 drama, Cock, focuses on a gay man who falls for a woman. It asks whether it’s who or what we’re attracted to that matters. The original Royal Court production had a resonance beyond its short run, setting Bartlett on the path to write King Charles III for the theatre and Doctor Foster for television, and boosting the careers of its stars: Ben Whishaw, Andrew Scott and Katherine Parkinson.
Similarly, Marianne Elliott’s meticulous, eloquently stylised revival features a cast whose star appeal is matched by their impressive stage credentials. Bridgerton’s Jonathan Bailey is John – indecisive, vain and, yes, a bit of a dick. Taron ‘Rocketman/Kingsman’ Egerton is his wounded boyfriend M. The great Jade Anouka is the woman, W. It’s an emotionally charged piece despite the lack of character names, the skimpy backstories, and a physical language that owes more to contemporary dance than naturalistic theatre.
