The Last Cuckoo

Press Release – 1/9/10

We are pleased to announce the premiere of a startling new drama production: The Last Cuckoo starring Laurence Olivier Award winning actor Paul Copley (Clem MacDonald in Torchwood) and featuring talented newcomer Olivia Vinall. The Last Cuckoo is written and produced by Julie Amanda Bokowiec, directed by BAFTA nominated David Tucker (regularly at the helm of a number of BBC flagship dramas such as Lark Rise to Candleford) with set and costumes by the award winning designer Charles Cusick Smith.

Set in the year 2050, The Last Cuckoo is an intimate, poignant and darkly comic tale of one man’s forty year journey through a period of ecological, social and personal upheaval, and his mission to memorise “…stuff that might be important…significant, of use to someone”.

“It wouldn’t be everyone’s first thought to tell the tale of the impending ecological catastrophe through the eyes of an ageing second-hand car salesman with a penchant for pub quizzes.  But Julie Bokowiec is a writer who combines fierce political concern with a quirky humour and warmth that is immediately engaging.

THE LAST CUCKOO confronts us with an extreme image – a man stranded in a ruined room in a desert wasteland – that has an epic and universal quality.  But it’s occupant is no conventional prophet.  THE LAST CUCKOO is a hugely moving and significant piece of writing, unique in its startling perception and urgent concern for humanity.”    (David Tucker – Director)

In essence The Last Cuckoo is a fully theatricalised monologue – a rarity in contemporary theatre.

“At first glance I thought, with mounting interest, that ‘The Last Cuckoo’ was going to be, perhaps, a bit like an Edward Bond play – then something by Samuel Beckett or perhaps Enda Walsh. I soon realised that, whilst having something in common with all these writers, Julie Bokowiec has her own unique voice and that ‘The Last Cuckoo’ is a very distinctive exploration of the human condition through the life experience of one person, Ethan Page.  ‘The Last Cuckoo’ is a huge challenge for the actor playing Ethan. That very challenge attracts me to the part – such an opportunity is rare. With a degree of trepidation, I’m looking forward to its preparation and to rehearsal immensely.  Julie’s writing, it seems to me, is full of compassion and humanity, but also full of fun… “ (Paul Copley – Actor)

“I have tried to do two things with this play, first to create a wholly theatrical and demanding piece of writing that is a wonderful vehicle for an established actor to give a truly virtuoso performance, and second, through my character Ethan Page, to speak about serious heartfelt concerns in ways that are personal, down-to-earth and appealing to general theatre going audiences.”   (Julie Amanda Bokowiec – Writer)

The last Cuckoo features a specially commissioned surround sound score by composer Mark Bokowiec that takes the audience on a dramatic sonic journey right to the heart of Ethan Page’s mnemonic world, and a lighting design by Michael Lock (Opera North).  The Last Cuckoo is a partnership production with the LBT.

PAUL COPLEY, originally from Denby Dale, recently appeared at The Gate starring in LULU directed by Anna Ledwich. Television credits include TORCHWOOD: CHILDREN OF MEN, GEORGE GENTLY, KINGDOM for Parallel Films/ITV1, CORONATION STREET, LIFE ON MARS, SHAMELESS and THE STREET. He was a series regular in three series of HORNBLOWER, both series of THE LAKES, both series of THIS LIFE, three series of CRACKER and QUEER AS FOLK. Film credits include JUDE, directed by Michael Winterbottom, and REMAINS OF THE DAY, directed by James Ivory. Theatre credits include KING LEAR, THE FRONTLINE, BREATHING CORPSES at the Royal Court, and SING YER HEART OUT FOR THE LADS at the National.

Paul Copley won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a New Play for his role in John Wilson’s FOR KING AND COUNTRY.

OLIVIA VINALL is a recent graduated from the prestigious Drama Studio London and the University of East Anglia. In her final months of training she was cast as Juliet in ROMEO AND JULIET at the Leicester Square Theatre, receiving a number of rave reviews. Olivia was nominated for the Spotlight Showcase prize 2010. Her acting roles while in training include: Joyce in THE BRIGHT AND BOLD DESIGN, Viola in TWELFTH NIGHT, Yelena in UNCLE VANYA, and Mademoiselle in THE PROVOK’D WIFE.

JULIE AMANDA BOKOWIEC (writer) is a playwright and international theatre artist based in West Yorkshire with a long creative association with the Lawrence Batley Theatre.  Her plays have been nominated and short-listed for a number of major awards including the Whitbread London Fringe Theatre Award for THE RED ROOM, the Soho Theatre’s Verity Bargate Award for PUNCH & BITE (TOBY-DOG-SAVAGE), the Bruntwood, also for TOBY-DOG-SAVAGE and the Alfred Bradley Award (BBC Radio).  Julie has made original drama and music theatre works for Lawrence Batley Theatre in association with Opera North and Trestle Theatre Company and has been commissioned by, among others, Royal Theatre Bath, Bradford Theatres, Harrogate International Festival and Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival and a range of international festivals.

DAVID TUCKER (director) David Tucker has created work for the RSC and a variety of regional theatres including Bristol Old Vic, Liverpool Playhouse and the Library Theatre Manchester. David is regularly at the helm of a number of the BBC’s flagship dramas including LARK RISE TO CANDLEFORD and EASTENDERS. Other directing credits include, DALZIEL & PASCOE with Warren Clarke, THE LAST DETECTIVE Peter Davison & Sean Hughes and WHERE THE HEART IS (SPECIAL). David was the establishing principle director on BRAMWELL and his film credits including RHINOCEROS with Robson Green and Niamh Cusack.  Awards nominations include a British Comedy Awards nomination (Best Single Film) for A VERY POLISH PRACTICE, an RTS nomination (Best Drama Serial) for THE GRAVY TRAIN. David worked on BEHAVING BADLY staring Judi Dench attracting an International Emmy Nomination for Best Serial, and A VERY PECULIAR PRACTICE (Series I & II) which attracted nominations for both RTS and BAFTA Best Serial awards.

CHARLES CUSICK SMITH (designer)

Charles trained at Glasgow School of Art, The Slade School of Art, London and was an Arts Council Trainee Designer with English National Ballet. Charles has worked in the UK and internationally designing opera, ballet, drama, and musicals.

His designs for the Leicester Haymarket Theatre production of THE PLOUGH AND THE STARS won Charles the T.M.A. Award for Best Designer in 1993.   Since then Charles as designed a number of European Premières of Sondheim’s FOLLIES, PACIFIC OVERTURES and SWEENEY TODD. National Tours and West End productions include: DUSTY (with Mari Wilson), HOT STUFF, HEAVENLY BODIES, WEST SIDE STORY (with Caroline O’Connor), SLICE OF SATURDAY NIGHT (with Barbara Dickson), CHICAGO, ROCK HARD, HOLD TIGHT IT’S 60S NIGHT, COMPANY and IN THE MIDNIGHT HOUR.  His recent designs include BUS STOP and NANNA for the Pitlockry Festival Theatre (2010).

MARK BOKOWIEC (sound design) Mark is the manager of the electro-acoustic music studios and the new Spacialization and Interactive Research Lab at the University of Huddersfield and lectures in interactive performance, interface and system design and composition. Mark began creating work with interactive technologies in 1995 and has since premiered new pieces at a variety of international festivals. Commissions include interactive instruments and new performance works for The Science Museum London, and various sound installations including A PASSAGE TO INDIA for Wakefield City Art Gallery, now in the gallery’s public collection.  Mark’s work AMERA was selected as a finalist for the prestigious 2009 Arts Electroniques des Concours internationaux de Bourges award.