EQUUS by Peter Schaffer
Lace Market Theatre, Nottingham

This is a production and a half and everyone involved should be very proud of themselves. Every time I go to the theatre and think that I have seen one of the best productions of the year, up comes another to top the previous. This has just topped the previous with icing, cherry and sprinkles galore.

The second play in the new season from the Lace Market Theatre is one of those plays that isn’t performed that often but guarantees to be a sell out due to its' dark and powerful story, not to mention the superb acting of this formidable cast.

"Equus" was written in 1973 by Peter Schaffer and is based on the true story that Schaffer heard about regarding a crime involving a 17-year-old who blinded six horses in a small town near Suffolk. He set out to construct a fictional account of what might have caused the incident, without knowing any of the details of the crime. The play's action is something of a detective story, involving the attempts of the child psychiatrist Dr. Martin Dysart to understand the cause of the boy's actions.

A court magistrate, Hesther Saloman, visits Dysart, believing that he has the skills to help the 17 year old Alan Strang come to terms with what he did. At the hospital, Dysart has a great deal of difficulty making any kind of headway with Alan, who at first responds to questioning by singing TV advertising jingles. Slowly, Dysart makes contact with Alan by playing a game where each of them asks a question, which must be answered honestly.

The discussions develop and Dysart discovers all about Strang’s parents, Dora and Frank, Strang's confused childhood and his seduction by his friend .Jill which leads to the shocking, dark and explosive ending.

Fraser Wanless (Dysart) is undeniably one of the areas best actors. His projection and diction is perfect and in this role, part narrator, part psychiatrist, you find yourself hanging on to every word.

Jak Truswell (Strang) has obviously studied this role and morphed into this troubled teen. I've seen Jak in several productions over the years but I can safely say that this is the best piece of theatre he has performed, and I said that about his role in "Beautiful Thing". No pressure but this role is going to take a lot of beating for Jak.

Nik Hedges (Frank Strang) delivers another strong performance in his second show for the Lace Market Theatre. Frank is supposed to be this moralistic father figure but his secrets are soon uncovered by Alan.

Sarah Taylor (Dora Strang) puts in a beautifully impassioned performance as Alan's religion-obsessed mother. Almost as if she is about to bubble over with nervous anger most of the time, a couple of times that pressure cooker gives way with some powerful emotional outbursts

Carol Parkinson (Hesther Salomon), at the start I thought may have forgotten her lines, but then I thought twice and said to myself, hang on this Carol, she does not forget lines and I realised at that point that the every so slight stumbling delivery was for dramatic effect of the character. The uncertainty as to whether Dysart would take on the case and save Strang from jail gave Carol's performance that extra edge. Brilliant.

Joanna Hoyes (Jill Mason) is the seductress in this play and a lovely confident performance. Who could resist?

Alistair Hudson (Harry Dalton), the stables owner where all the darkness takes place, and we get to hear that lovely Yorkshire accent again. this play makes it his second for the Lace Market theatre this year.

Mark James (Horseman/Nugget), a dual role for Mark. I loved the toffee-nosed horseman part, the introduction to Strang's love affair with horses. Also loved the physicality of playing Nugget.

Dani Wain (Nurse), not the biggest of roles but loved the gentle but masterly role, creating character for the nurse, which could have gone unnoticed, but didn't.

The other horses are played by Jonathan Cleaver, Matthew Finkel, Neil Ledward, Nathan Sharpe and Arnd Korn.

Directed by Chris Sims, Sir you have created a masterpiece in modern theatre this week. The tension in this play is enough to make a person burst, and I've seen the play before, so I know what an amazing piece of theatre this is.You can feel the immense amount of hard work that Chris and the cast have put into this play, a play that sucks you in and gets you so engrossed with the story and the characters that you feel that you are the only person in the theatre at the moment.

The set is designed by Mark James. Simple but very effective. having a revolving stage, which I've not seen done in this play before, gives the on stage seating another view of the actors. The darkness of the play is reflected by the colour scheme.The simpleness also detracts nothing from the actors while creating a multi-functional stage for the actors

Abby Wells is the Movement Director and this comes into play at the end with the chaos caused and the blind panic, but just notice the way the "horses" move when required.

Lighting Design by David Billen and Sound design by Jack Harris, and these two together helped create the overall feel of the creeping darkness and the expected chaos and carnage.

Much as I love a comedy, or a musical, you can't beat a good dark piece of theatre, and this ticks every single box that I had in my head.

Taking out of the equation that for a short space of time you have two actors naked on stage, and I know that this may be what attracts some folk to see this show - let's face it, it didn't do Daniel Radcliffe any harm in the world of theatre when he played Strang - this show is a powerful and wonderfully written piece of modern theatre. This production is one you must see, even if it is just for the shock value of Strang's actions.

Possibly my favourite piece of theatre this year.

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No horseplay, just stage magic

Of the four productions of Equus your reviewer has seen since the 1970s the one currently at the Lace Market Theatre is undoubtedly the best.

Controversial in its day, the play concerns psychiatrist, Martin Dysart, treating a youth, Alan Strang, who has blinded six horses by stabbing them in the eyes. It's relative resurgance over recent years is due not at all to a non-gratuitous and tastefully done double nude scene near the end; it's more about the popularity of Warhorse, which also involves expertly handled life-size horse puppets.

Here director Chris Sims manages to get all his components right, not least a brilliant multi-location set from Mark James. It's attractive and practical with seating for an ensemble on stage the whole time. And it's clever and adaptable. The six horse heads are beautifully designed and constructed and theor wearers superbly choreographed.

Background music and sound effects are absolutely right.

Perhaps above all there's the acting. Some sharp casting, together with hard work from all on stage, ensures strong and in some cases remarkable performances from everyone - there are no weaknesses.

In perhaps the performance of the evening Fraser Wanless demonstrates what a master of stagecraft he is. With voice, movement, gesticulation, even the way he holds a cigarette, he totally convinces as Dysart. And Jak Truswell's Strang is a triumph. In a role requiring confidence and nerve Truswell delivers both.

There's outstanding work too from Joanna Hoyes (Jill Mason), Carol Parkinson (Hesther Salomon), Nik Hedges (Frank Strang), and particularly Sarah Taylor (Dora Strang).

Peter Shaffer's text is strange and fascinating - a stabled horse is "like a frozen tango dancer". And it's a play of thermatic complexity, full of Shafferian opposites, in which for instance we learn as much about Dysart and his marriage as we do about Strang.

Great stuff.

Review: Equus. Lace Market Theatre Nottingham. 8-13 October 2018.

Psyche. This is the word from which ‘psychology’, ‘psychiatrists’, ‘psychotic’, etc., are derived. It originates in Greek and means ‘soul’. The Lace Market Theatre cast and creatives of Peter Shaffer’s Equus, certainly put their hearts and souls into this powerful drama of psychotic behaviour and the attempts of child psychiatrist, Martin Dysart (Fraser Wanless), to help heal the mental wounds of 17 year old Alan Strang (Jak Truswell). The crime? Strang has savagely blinded six horses with a metal spike in one night.

The original National Theatre production was staged in 1973 to much critical acclaim. The play text remains unchanged whilst methods of psychiatry have very likely evolved well beyond the methods used by Dr Dysart and his staff to clarify the motivation behind this atrocious act of seemingly mindless violence. That said, the core message of the play is about worship of gods true, gods mythical and inner demons and how they haunt, not only the violated psyche of the young perpetrator Alan Strang, but also the disturbed mind of the overworked child psychiatrist, Martin Dysart.

In Dysart’s case much personal consideration and classical reference is given over to the world of the ancient Greeks. He is haunted by the horse god Equus who stares at him unblinkingly from the dark depths of his mythical cave. His nightmares feature horrifically compelling ritual slaughter of over 500 children in Homeric Greece. These are coupled with his fears of being discovered taking part, as he hides behind his ever slipping mask. The centaurs trampling the red soil plains of Argos are but a mythological fiction to Dysart. Meanwhile, he claims the deranged boy he trying to help has attempted to actually become a centaur in a Hampshire field. His response is the deep jealousy of one who has imagined but never experienced wild abandoned passion. Staring eyes become a constant metaphor in this psychologically most gripping drama.

In Alan Strang we are dramatically obliged to deal with his initial non-communication; with his ‘chinkle chankle’ hide bound, sexually driven obsession with horses and the Latin name Equus; with his rejection of formal equitation and complex renunciation of Christian religiosity forced upon him by his overbearingly dogmatic mother, Dora Strang. As with Dysart, the symbolic leitmotif of ‘I see you. Always. Everywhere. Forever’  carried out through accusing eyes plague and torment this young man to the point of a mental breakdown.

This Lace Market Theatre production is exceptionally well executed. Mark James’ solid set works on many levels – principally as the key location as the Winchester stables and as a metaphorical point of judgement like in a court with actors placed behind watching the action unfold. Audience members are also seated at the back of the stage giving the piece an ‘in the round’ immersive theatre feel. The actors wearing the giant metallic horse heads give the piece its equine majesty as well as providing crucial dramatic tension in pivotal scenes. Mark James also plays Horseman and Nugget the horse. Movement director Abby Wells and production director Chris Sims should be commended on their professional direction. Together they bring this work of theatrical art stunningly to life. The excellent sound and lighting atmospherics by Jack Harris and David Billen are equally commendable.

As Martin Dysart, Fraser Wanless gives us a totally believable and masterful performance. Wanless’ acting style as Dysart is not one of theatrical histrionics but an assuredly measured examination of a man whose own need for personal and professional accountability is on a par with that of needing to cure the mentally ill children. Wanless carefully scales up his performance until the final moments of the play where essentiality locks horns with irreversibility.

Jak Truswell gives us his character- the disturbed youngster Alan Strang – one teasing and sullen glance at a time. His stare is essentially mesmeric. Blocking out any normal form of communication with Dysart his responses to simple questions are in the form of 1960s food product jingles.

As we journey further into the story he gradually reveals his mentally crippled views on life and Truswell’s interpretation of the deeply troubled lad is one that cleverly balances naturalism with theatricality. His bravura performance is additionally laudable in the scenes involving the erotic and some full nudity. Alan Strang is never going to be a person whose cruel actions gain our complete forgiveness but Trussell’s very strong performance as Strang is semi- sympathetic.

The Lace Market Theatre casting team have pulled together a really solid cast for Equus and the audience are rewarded with top class acting from Sarah Taylor and Nik Hedges as parents Dora and Frank Strang. In these two – parental values conflict as the mother’s obsessive bible referencing Christianity clashes with old fashioned bombast and archaic language from the father.

Carol Parkinson exudes confidence as magistrate Hesther Salomon and is the calming influence to Dysart’s occasional neurotic outbursts as well as persuasive in admitting the seventeen year old Strang to Dysart’s reluctant care.

Dani Wain makes a very credible and caring nurse. She is spot on perfect as the starchy no nonsense provider of medical and social care for Alan Strang.

Down at the Winchester stables we temporarily meet stable owner Harry Dalton (Alistair Hudson) and stable hand Jill Mason (Joanna Hoyes). Hudson demonstrates the devastation and shock in a brief but solidly grounded performance. His character is super recognisable as  the gruff yet kindly soul that Dalton is.

Hoyes is very believable as the unwitting activator and innocently sexual instrument of Alan Strang’s full on moment of berserk fury and horse blinding. Her confident portrayal is very typical of many a horse loving young woman from a middle class family who is more than content to spend hours and hours in the company of horses and loves every minute of equine grooming and riding.

The horses are played by Johnathan Cleaver, Matthew Finkel, Neil Ledward, Nathan Sharpe and Arnd Korn. These horses, complete with head masks hired from the National Theatre itself, are a wonder to see and their tight and stylised choreography give this superb production the icing on the spectacular cake.

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