Review: Desert Rose Playhouse's COCK is Superbly Performed and Directed

Desert Rose Playhouse, in Rancho Mirage, is currently presenting COCK, by British playwright Mike Bartlett. c*ckis an intelligent and moving comic drama, albeit a bit repetitive. It is sensitively directed (by artistic director Jim Strait), and performed superbly by a first-rate cast. I consider it a must-see.

John (Stephen McMillen), the only character with a name, is indecisive to a fault. He knows he is not straight, but, until now, he thought he was gay. After he and his boyfriend (Robert Rancano) take a break trying to solve their numerous problems, he falls hard for a beautiful young woman (Phylicia Mason). Is John gay or bi? Does the label matter, or is it only important whether a particular individual makes him happy? Does he love the young woman because she treats him as if he were a king, while his boyfriend treats himself as the king and John as the subject? Must he choose between his long-term male lover and the beautiful female lover with tantalizing possibilities? Into this fraught situation comes the boyfriend's father (Terry Huber), determined to help his son double-team John into picking the boyfriend. The four players get together one night trying to reach a resolution.

COCK, whose title refers to a c*ckfight, is performed in the round, with only a few cushioned benches for the characters to sit on in their fight corners. There are no props, and the playwright has instructed the actors not to mime using props or other set pieces. As a result, the dialogue tells the entire story; there are no visual cues in any scene except for an early one in which John instructs his boyfriend to remove his shirt so John can remind himself why he finds the boyfriend so attractive. In a verbal love scene between John and the woman, the two characters hold each other, fully clothed, and move in a circle in the middle of the stage, as if they were dancing, while she describes, in explicit detail, what hands and other body parts are doing.

Stephen McMillen, known to Valley theatregoers through his work at Desert Theatreworks, perfectly portrays John's indecision. I consider this Mr. McMillen's breakout performance - a serious, dramatic role that should launch him into bigger things, if that is what he is seeking. Robert Rancano, a newcomer to this area, shows his wide range by successfully portraying the boyfriend as kind and loving one moment and vicious the next. Phylicia Mason, who recently knocked the role of Annelle out of the park in Desert Theatreworks' STEEL MAGNOLIAS, has a second consecutive triumph as the self-assured girlfriend. Terry Huber, who plays the father, is top-notch in every role in which I've seen him. This is no exception.

COCK gives no answers. In Talmudic tradition, it keeps raising questions, while the audience members attempt to figure out the answers for themselves. To me, the basic question is not whether John is gay or bi, or even whether he loves his girlfriend or boyfriend more. Instead, in my view, the key issue as whether John will ever mature enough to know his own mind, or whether he will continue to be buffeted around by whatever winds life throws his way.

COCK is a drama that is likely to interest both the LGBT community (Desert Rose's core constituency) and straight theatergoers. Its theme about identity is universal. Audience members, in my view, will leave the performance mulling over what they have seen and heard. In my opinion, it is the perfect play for serious theatergoers who prefer to avoid a tearjerker.

The rest of the production team includes Steve Fisher (resident stage manager), Phil Murphy (lighting design), and Paul Taylor (producer).

Performances of c*ckare Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 PM and Sundays at 2:00 PM, through April 10, 2016. No Performance on Easter Sunday, March 27, 2016. Tickets are $33 for the evening performances and $30 for matinees.

The Desert Rose Playhouse is located just north of Frank Sinatra Boulevard, near the Emperor Buffet, at 69-620 Highway 111, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270. The Box Office opens at 4 p.m. before evening performances and at noon on Sundays. Tickets are available at the box office, by phone at 760-202-3000, and by Internet at http://www.desertroseplayhouse.org. There is no service charge for Internet or phone orders.

The last production in Desert Rose Playhouse's main 2015-16 season consists of JUNK by J. Michael Penny, April 29 - May 29, 2016, the world premiere of a new musical, in which two gay men with a large age gap have been offered the contents of a deceased man's house in exchange for tidying it up. It turns out that the house is stuffed with old porn. As the two men sort through the owner's belongings, they begin to learn a great deal about the deceased and about their unusual relationship to one another.

Desert Rose Playhouse, as a 501(c)(3) organization, must collect a third of its funds through gifts from the public. Financial donations are gratefully accepted. The address for financial contributions is P.O. Box 2256, Cathedral City, CA 92235.

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