Entity Theatre Workshop e.V.
presents
Peter Shaffer’s
Equus
As its first production of 2009, Entity Theatre Workshop e.V. presents Equus by Peter Shaffer. Peter Bishop is the director and Andrew Edem the producer.
Performances are on 6-9 and 13-16 May 2009 (Wed.-Sat.) at 8 p.m. at the Teamtheater Tankstelle (Am Einlaß 2a, 80469 Munich, near the Viktualienmarkt). Tickets cost EUR 20 and 18 (students EUR 9.50; for other concessions see www.teamtheater.de).
Reservations at 089 / 260 43 33 or team@teamtheater.de.
Information at www.teamtheater.de, www.entitytheatre.com or 0700 3684 8900.
Please note: The performance will last about 110 minutes, and there will be no interval.
THE PLAY: Written by Peter Shaffer, Equus is the story of a psychiatrist, Martin Dysart, who is confronted with one of the greatest challenges of his career when 17-year-old Alan Strang is brought to him for treatment. The boy has blinded six horses with a metal spike at the stable where he has been working. As Dysart delves deeper into the reasons for Alan’s shocking actions, he discovers a confused and repressed boy who has an awkward relationship with two very disparate parents and a religious devotion to the point of obsession, a theme which intertwines with Dysart’s emerging apathy and doubt about his own ability.
Equus was originally performed in London in 1973, and has enjoyed a hugely successful revival starting on the West End in 2007 and finishing on Broadway in 2009. The play received a Tony Award for Best Play in 1975. It was adapted for film in 1977.
With Equus, director Peter Bishop and Entity Theatre Workshop, e.V. are tackling one of their most challenging productions to date and are proud to welcome some new faces, as well as some old hands, to the stage in this gripping theatrical masterpiece.
THE GROUP: Entity, founded by Danny Strike and Alison Sandford in 1999, is committed to the workshop principles of allowing participants time to develop, experiment, and have fun. It is also an “audition-free zone”. Auditions don’t tell us what we want to know about performers. For example, are they willing to challenge their own talent? Can they work in a team? After attending workshops, participants are invited to “commit” to performance and a play is selected. Obviously acting skills – voice, spatial awareness, scene rhythms, emotional logic, etc. – must also be developed in the course of the rehearsals, but Entity never loses sight of the workshop principle, and actors are encouraged to experiment within the evolving framework. This gives Entity its unique dynamics.
Past productions: In addition to the current production, Entity has now put on eight full-length plays, six one-acts, and a showcase. Last year the productions included Lovers at Versailles, Set Sail for Home – A Showcase of New Talent, and an award-winning production of The Parting.
Accolades: In 2004 Entity was awarded second place for its staging of James Saunders’s Games at FEATS, the Festival of European Anglophone Theatrical Societies. In 2008 Entity received the FEATS award for Best Stage Presentation for its adaptation for the stage of Tanika Gupta's radio play The Parting, and a nomination for best actor.
Acting workshops: Entity’s acting workshops will be starting again soon after this production and are open to anyone with a good command of English. For further information please check the Entity website: www.entitytheatre.com.
Press Release
As of 24 March 2009