A Clockwork Orange

Anthony Burgess wrote A Clockwork Orange in 1962 as a short novel set in the future among the ‘Droogs’, a frightening breed of hooligan who spoke a slang derived from English and Russian.

Burgess published a play script in 1987 to provide the definitive visual realization of this book. Corcadorca presented the Irish premiere of this play at Sir Henry’s Nightclub, Cork in December 1995.

The play deals with a real human and moral issue, and takes a stand: “The exercising of free will, even if the course chosen is ‘evil’, is morally preferable to having the ‘good’ enforced on you. ” Man is defined by his capacity to choose courses of moral action”.

In the play, Alex and his droogs indulge in Ultraviolence, ‘Dratsing and tolshocking and kicks in the yarblockos’. He is captured by the forces of the State, and chosen as the guinea-pig for an equally violent programme of aversion therapy. Having been reprogrammed to hate violence, Alex is released back into his community and publicized as an example of the apparently successful treatment. In a crisis induced by that treatment, Alex very nearly loses his life, and discovers that he’s also developed aversion to all beauty, his beloved Beethoven included. He reverts to his former self, undoing the therapy, and it is only then that he outgrows his old ways.

“A Clockwork Orange” is astonishing – sensual, exotic, erotic. Violent and viciously exuberant.”
The Sunday Times

“..the ever-inventive, ever-intriguing and downright incredible Corcadorca Theatre Company”
Evening Echo