Gary flew over to London's nest

I guess most people are familiar with the movie of One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, but the play, adapted from Ken Kesey's book, has been around a lot longer.

In 1963 Kirk Douglas played my character, Randle McMurphy, on Broadway and William Devane had the lead in a 1968 production.

The play is different from the film, which used hardly any of the narrative and changed the point of view of the Chief (Tim Sampson). My take is to go back and have fun with the role, like Randle had in the book, as opposed to the way Jack Nicholson played him. He gave a bravura performance but he eliminated all of Kesey's nuances.

In the book Randle is like old Ken himself. He's a real redneck cowboy who talks in the vernacular like a good ole boy. I think the play is funnier than the film anyway - as well as being a moving and entertaining theatrical experience. The story and the outcome are the same but the experience is more satisfying.

The role is demanding, physically and vocally. It's the toughest thing I've done since I started with Steppenwolf Theater in 1974. Randle comes on and he's like a tornado. He doesn't stop spinning. He's loud and larger-than-life and he's like the motor, a source of energy who dominates everything. He's a tiring guy but luckily I'm in decent shape, or I couldn't satisfy the director, Terry Kinney.

I'm curious how London will take it - as opposed to, say, a crowd in Nebraska. We brought over The Grapes Of Wrath once and the reaction was very different. These obviously American pieces present challenges. Still, the story isn't dated. We're dealing with a universal human dilemma and if it works that should be compelling enough for a modern audience.

One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, first night Thur 27 Jul, Barbican Theatre, Silk Street, EC2 (020-7638 8891).