All of us have moments in time where we were knocked slightly off our path through life and it changed us for good or bad, and became instrumental in defining who we are today. One of mine happened in the mid-1970s during a trip to Miami to visit family. I was urged by Aunt Connie and cousin Marita to see the national touring company of Equus by Peter Shaffer at the Coconut Grove Playhouse. Seeing that show is what really got me interested in theatre. It captured my imagination and would not let go. I'd never seen anything like it. And I knew then I wanted to be a part of a production someday. Those who know me know of my predilection for this show. If only I could find a suburban venue willing to take risks and do edgy material. Ah well, risky is not part of the vocabulary of most suburban theatres. Or if it is, it has a negative connotation.
Over time, I have come to realize that the story is not quite as brilliant as I originally thought, and is a little light on the psychoanalysis (as well as heavy on the psycho-babble). But that has also given me a new appreciation of the show. It is, after all, entertainment. It's what theatre is supposed to do. And, at the time it came out, it was considered ground-breaking, and still has an impact 45 years later. For more info and the story synopsis, go here.
I'll start off by saying that if you've seen Equus before, please see this production. It's a fascinating re-staging, shedding a different light on the show, and emphasizes what I have always thought this play was: not so much a mystery uncovered, but an examination of the inner conflict of Dr. Dysart, the psychiatrist. As an audience member, you sit a few feet from the action on the wider-than-deeper set. It is almost as if they took the original design of the show, kept the bleachers, condensed it, and eliminated the house altogether. That will make more sense once you've seen this production. If you have only seen the crappy movie, please see a stage version quickly, and you'll being doing yourself a great favor seeing this one. If you've never seen the show, this is a good place to start. Eventually, you should see it in all its original trappings, but this production is 2.5 hours of delight.
When I first saw the very small and intimate set, I was afraid I would feel claustrophobic, especially during the long monologues. I could see there was nowhere to go for blocking, so longer passages of exposition would be limited in movement, which can be stifling. And, it is a wordy show. But for me the words rang, because this production concentrates on text over action. There was a readers theatre feel to it that relies on the minds of the audience to fill in the blanks and forces them to participate.
This is a strong cast. Brian Parry plays Dysart. I felt his inner turmoil as he tries to make sense of what he's doing, meddling around in the mind and passions of this boy who has blinded six horses. Nothing rang false as he lead us from one level to the next in the uncovering of the events leading to the incident of the crime against the horses. He took us through those long wordy passages with ease, and he held my focus.
Alan is portrayed by Andrew Jessop. There was an intensity that undulated beneath the surface of his performance, promising the excitement of the explosive moments of the show. And it came through. Jan Ellen Graves does a nice turn as Hester, the magistrate who brings Alan to Dysart for analysis. I was at a disadvantage to fully appreciate what she did because of where I sat, since she is on stage right most of the time, turned to center, so I mostly saw the back of her head. At times, without the nuance and shadings that facial expressions add to spoken text, I felt I was experiencing her performance through a radio. Of course, this has nothing to do with Graves. It's a function of the 3/4 thrust staging. I would suggest sitting in the audience section that is directly opposite the set. It's a small theatre that holds around 45 people, so get there early.
Holly Bittinger gives a nice turn as Jill Mason, a country-girl horse trainer with an impish streak. She eases into the role of mentor to Alan, teaching him the ins and outs of both stable work and stable play, and becomes one of the catalysts for the incident with the horses.
It is an easy out to blame the parents for the behavior of a child, and in some ways, Shaffer uses that mindset as misdirection. The parents are both idiosyncratic and lay a foundation for the mental framework of Alan's passions. Debra Rodkin and Laurens Wilson played Dora and Frank Strang, Alan's parents. I felt a slight disconnect from both of them in the beginning, but they grew on me as the show progressed, especially Rodkin's heartfelt monologue in Act II. Meredith Hogeland and John Rushing do nice turns in supporting roles and added to the overall strength of the show. Of particular note is Scott Butler, who doubles as the horseman and Nugget, the horse. The start of the show is haunting, as Butler comes on stage, dons leather fetish-wear, a wonderfully-designed eerie horse head, and becomes the horse. It was a true and stellar metamorphosis.
Director Michael Colucci took risks with this staging and re-invention, and they pay off. The show runs through August 29 and as I said before, you really should see it. For times and ticket information, go to the Redtwist web site.
Run time: 2 hours, 30 minutes, including a 15-minute intermission
Paid: $13.50 (I saw the final preview. But I did just receive a HotTix e-mail showing they have discounted tickets for this weekend.)
Is it worth the price of admission: Yes. Full price, discounted price, whatever, you should make the effort to see this production. I'm going again, I liked it that much.
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