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Review: Equus, Theatre Royal Bath – ‘Taut, beautiful, and psychologically complex; a stunning production’
Equus is such a beautiful play and Lindsay Posner’s production does it real credit. “Beautiful? A play about messed-up psycho-sexual development and animal abuse?” I hear you cry. But yes. Read on…
Toby Stephens plays Dr Martin Dysart, a hospital child psychiatrist experiencing a “professional menopause”, taunted by dreams of his own harmful inauthenticity, and adrift in his isolating marriage. His patient is 17-year-old Alan Strang (Noah Valentine), charged with blinding six horses at the stable where he works. Previously, the boy showed every sign of loving those animals.
That’s how Shaffer begins this intricate tale of heartache, and of the human soul’s and society’s – and Dysart’s – dilemma: to what extent do we, should we – must we – rein in our passion?
is needed now More than ever
Noah Valentine as Alan and Bella Aubin as Jill
First, dear potential audiences, this only runs until July 25, and it’s the production’s only non-London venue. Second, teenage psycho-sexual development is a major part of the story and sex/nudity are prominent. Third? This is a beautifully psychologically complex play – which is deceptively simply written.
Excuse my horribly tasteless pun, but Posner and his team have pulled off a blinder. Get a ticket if you can.
Noah Valentine as Alan; Ed Mitchell as Nugget and horse ensemble
I must give you a very brief plot sketch, but no spoilers. Alan has blinded six horses and a judge asks a shrink to see him. It’s this troubled medic’s job to work out why Alan did this, so he can heal him, and return him safely to society. He discovers that Alan has a very strong streak of religiosity, and somewhere along the line, Jesus has been replaced by ‘Equus’, a spirit/god he believes is within all horses, and who is both master and slave…
Together, Stephens’ and Valentine’s performances make for something extraordinary; this duo sizzles. Stephens’ anguish is a glory without becoming sickly, and Dysart’s mask so quiveringly held, you fear for his future. Valentine’s Alan is an artful balances of the demands of playing sultry-and-sulky-teenager, whilst alight with the white-hot adulation and worship that bubbles up from the ancient parts of the psyche.
Amanda Abbington as Hester
These two are surrounded by stars – Paul Pyant’s lightning design and Adam Cork’s sound and music are huge players on this stage. Our surroundings – Paul Farnsworth’s set – are the crucial temple that ‘is’ a riding school stables. And within this completely absorbing setting, James Cousin’s movement direction means the magnificent ‘horse’ ensemble conjures such transportive magic that at key moments we witness ancient rite and ritual, hid in plain sight.
The horse ensemble’s light-touch ‘sketching’ of horse behaviour (no War Horse mimicry here) is a wonder to behold. The performance of Ed Mitchell (Nugget) for one mesmerising scene in particular deserves all the awards.
Toby Stephens as Dr Martin Dysart
Society is never far away, of course. Amanda Abbington (Hester, the judge), Colin Mace (Alan’s dad, an atheist printer), Emma Cunliffe (Alan’s mum, a teacher, and ‘religion’), Paula James (the nurse) and Bella Aubin (Jill from the stables: ‘love’) ground us – and try to ground Alan – in the habits and expectations of what Dysart would call daily life’s sterility.
This is theatre doing what only theatre can: using story, sound, light, words and movement to connect a gallery of gasping strangers to oft-unspoken truths, disturbing the seemingly sterile surface more than a little.
Don’t scroll on; take yourself there. Go.
Equus is at Theatre Royal Bath on July 14-25 at 7.30pm with additional 2.30pm matinee shows on Wednesday and Saturday (no shows Sunday). Visit theatreroyal.org.uk for tickets.
All photos: Manuel Harlan
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