Equus (Free-Rain Theatre Company) - Review

 

DYSART:

That's what his stare has been saying to me all this time:
'At least I galloped - when did you?'

The cast of Equus. 
Credit: Janelle McMenamin

Equus is a play by Peter Schaffer; one that carries with it immense prestige. Like a sort of taboo haunt, this play is one that is discussed frequently, yet eludes staging in a community setting due to the immense demands it makes of both its audiences, and the creatives that would hope to present it. A play of personal theology, how it clashes with psychiatry's understanding of it, and the effects this conversation can have on the personal state of affairs of all involved dialogues, it is no easy piece to digest, let alone present.

Director Anne Somes has succeeded, with a triumphant vision that is determinable and impressive in its scope, presenting a simultaneously mythological, yet godless, work of drama that pulled from its crowd all the murmurs and whispers and left in its wake a foreboding silence that followed me long into the night. Somes' Equus treads the fine line between the real and the not, as Dysart's grappling with Strang's case unravels into a cataclysm of doubt regarding the cost of healing an affliction of misguided, yet self-inflicted, faith. The mood of the play is one of utter uniqueness; a cold, inhospitable place that wields an authority that commands audience focus. This mystical air is further cemented in quality by the impeccable movement direction of Amy Campbell, who ensures the cast, and their interactions with the impressively realised horses, are incredibly engaging from beginning to end.

 
Pictured: Martin Dysart (Arran McKenna) and Alan Strang (Jack Shanahan) 
Credit: Janelle McMenamin

The cast of Equus is an assembly of Canberra's bravest, that audaciously bring to life this utter nightmare in psychological exploration of destinations incomprehensible. Commanding much of the discussion, yet remaining as much a victim of it as the audience, Arran McKenna gives a tour-de-force performance as child psychologist Martin Dysart. McKenna brings an approachability to Dysart that clashes delightfully with his thinly-veiled vanity. His experience with Strang infects his perception of the duty he performs, and McKenna shows immense depth in bringing these inner struggles to the surface in a performance of remarkable dramatic gravitas. 

McKenna's turn as Dysart is reason enough to secure a ticket for this show, and yet, it is Jack Shanahan's Alan Strang that will have you glued to your seat and holding on for dear life. His performance is most likely the most haunting performance you're likely to find in the Canberra theatre space this year; from the smallness of his eerily memorable gaze to the sheer aggression in which he practices his devotion to the almighty Equus is chilling to behold. Shanahan performs a majority of the second Act nude, and it is in this Act that the spiritual fiend within bursts forth in an utterly gobsmacking performance that is as horrific as it is impressive. Shanahan is an absolute revelation in what is, for this reviewer's money, nothing less than the finest dramatic performance of the year. 

The two are well supported by a supporting cast brimming with talent. Bruce Hardie offers a guiltily antagonistic performance as Frank Strang; a man who is more eager to project his views and damn objection than he is ready to compromise for the sake of familial harmony. Janie Lawson matches Hardie blow for sanctimonious blow as the God-fearing, guilt-ridden Dora Strang, offering a performance that refuses to accept accountability, yet hints at a deeper feeling of shame with her insistence upon innocence. 

 

Crystal Mahon's court magistrate Hesther Salomon is a remarkable foil to McKenna's Dysart, with Mahon offering a strong portrayal that cements the character's influence as a force that morally demands Strang's recovery.  Lilly Welling offers another brave performance in the role of Jill Mason, who serves as an effectively innocent, yet coy, agitator for the inner crossfire between Strang's sexuality and religious sense of self. And Caitlin Bissett sneaks in an effective performance as A Nurse, keeping the play's psychiatric setting ever present through her clinical engagement with both doctor and patient.  

 

Another impressive performative group at play is the chorus of the show; the Horses, without which, the play would not be as effective. Jamie Johnston, Finlay Forrest, Samara Glesti, Bianca Lawson, and Robert Wearden all deserve due mention for their unbreakable, symbiotic group performance, from synchronised droning sounds (accompanied by the rest of the seated cast) to intimidating stomps; they are an effective means of enforcing the overall tone throughout the play. They are led by Sam Thomson, who is an impressive stage presence throughout the play as Nugget; the focal horse of Strang's desire. Thomson imbues the performance with imposing, yet gracious physicality, to profound effect, simultaneously complementing and being complemented by his fellow stablemates.  

 

Craig Muller's lighting design is effectively eerie, with a particularly impressive level of care going to the lighting of characters' faces and bodies in moments of mental intimacy. Neville Pye and Patrick Dixon keep the ominous air of the show in full possession of the space throughout not only the play, but its prelude, interval, and outro too, ensuring the air of mystique the show establishes never leaves. Cate Clelland's set design is suitably minimalist, to allow Dysart a psychological playground in which to explore Strang's sensations, as well as a battlefield for him to grapple with his own doubts. And Anne Somes' costume design kept things basic, yet distinguishing, complementing the setting. 

 

Equus is a play that will sit long with me after its doors close. With phenomenal realisation of its vision, a jackpot cast, and a group of creatives who all add in spades to the overall mood, it's a spiritually bleak work of art rendered with great care and class. It is an adiamorphic, yet mystical melancholy that is not to be missed by those with the strength to experience its rawness. 

 

Tickets: https://acthub.littleboxoffice.com/events/94507