One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Tickets

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest in London

BAFTA nominee and Death of England writer Clint Dyer directs a radical new revival of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest at The Old Vic Theatre, in the heart of Waterloo. This bold reimagining of Ken Kesey’s iconic countercultural novel explores how institutions silence dissent and control identity and stars Hamilton star and Olivier winner Giles Terrera and The Underground Railroad’s Aaron Pierre. Don’t miss this fresh take on a seminal modern classic - secure your tickets today. 

What is the play One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest about?

In a psychiatric institution, inpatient Chief Bromden, long presumed deaf and mute, has vanished into the margins. His story, and those of his fellow patients, remain buried under the strict and dehumanising regime led by the coldly efficient Nurse Ratched.

That is, until Randle P. McMurphy arrives. A gambler and troublemaker, McMurphy disrupts the ward’s rigid order with his defiant energy and his rebellion against the brutal Ratched ignites something in the other patients: a rediscovery of their voices, identities, and wills. Bromden has a story to tell - and now, someone is ready to listen. 

The History of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is based on the 1962 novel by American author Ken Kesey, inspired by his time working as an orderly in a psychiatric hospital. The novel became an instant classic, known for its powerful critique of institutional power, mental health treatment, and the oppression of the individual. Dale Wasserman first adapted the novel for the stage in 1963, in a production starring Kirk Douglas and Gene Wilder.

The story reached international acclaim with the 1975 film adaptation directed by Miloš Forman and starring Jack Nicholson as McMurphy, which famously won the “Big Five” Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. The film’s influence has made McMurphy and Nurse Ratched iconic figures in modern storytelling, with Ratched’s story also being explored further in Ratched, a prequel series from American Horror Story Creator Ryan Murphy.

In the original novel, the story is told entirely through the perspective of Chief Bromden, underscoring the theme of silenced voices. This new staging places increased emphasis on Bromden’s voice and dives deep into the novel’s themes of control, freedom, and resistance, exposing how systems of power - whether medical, social, or colonial - marginalise and erase those who don’t fit the mould. 

The Cast of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

• Aaron Pierre as Randle P. McMurphy.
• Giles Terera as Dale Harding.

Further casting is to be announced. 

The Creative Team of One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

The production is directed by Clint Dyer. Dyer is an award-winning playwright, actor and director. He is best known for his work on The Starter Motor for the BBC, Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical, and the Death of England play series. In 2021 he became Deputy Artistic Director of the National Theatre, and in 2022 he made history when directing Othello for the National, becoming the first Black director to direct the play in any major UK venue. Dyer is a BAFTA nominee, an Alfred Fagon Playwrighting Award winner, and in 2008 was awarded an OBE for Services to Drama.

The script is by Dale Wasserman, adapted from the novel by Ken Kesey. Wasserman was an American playwright, best known for writing the book of the musical Man of La Mancha. 

Set and costume design is by Ben Stones (Death of a Salesman, An Enemy of the People), with lighting design by Chris Davey (The Glass Menagerie, The Merchant of Venice 1936). Sound design is by Benjamin Grant (A Number, The Glow), with movement direction by Lucie Pankhurst (Julius Caesar, The Welkin).

Tickets for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest at the Old Vic

This magnetic new revival reawakens the novel’s spirit of resistance for a new generation. With an award-winning cast and creative team, this strictly limited run of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest promises to be unmissable theatre. So break the system, and secure your tickets to One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest at The Old Vic Theatre today.