Translation of the article “Wenn die Liebe zum Pferd krankhaft wird” by Gabriella Lorenz from the Abendzeitung, Thursday, 14 May 2009, p. 22 (Kultur).
When a love for horses becomes an illness
On stage at Teamtheater Tankstelle: Peter Shaffer's Equus performed in English
Taking on Peter Shaffer’s Equus is quite a daring move for an amateur group. The successful English author wrote this play in 1973 based on a true story. Often performed in the 1970s and filmed in 1977, Equus was revived two years ago, with Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe playing the role of the mentally ill Alan in London and on Broadway – complete with nude scene. Now Entity Theatre Workshop, an English-speaking group who have been performing in Munich for ten years, have brought Equus to the stage at the Teamtheater Tankstelle.
A good knowledge of English is required to follow the plot of this psychologically intense piece. One night Alan, a 17-year-old who works part-time at a stable, blinds six horses. Psychiatrist Martin Dysart – weary of his profession – uncovers Alan’s pathological merging of religious and sexual delusions, projected onto his favourite horse, in the course of his therapy sessions with the boy. Equus is Alan’s god, with whom he can experience a sexuality suppressed by his uptight parents.
Peter Bishop’s production is commendable, but too long. The four actors wearing horses’ heads made of wire and stamping their metal footwear provide a handsome image. The cast displayed astonishing stage presence, although they had to present the dialogue in a rather static manner. Only Masoud Janbaz was allowed to show Alan’s despair in a physical way. Heiner Mohnen’s psychiatrist fluctuated credibly between his frustration and the challenge before him.
Teamtheater Tankstelle through 16 May, 8 p.m. Telephone no.: 260 43 33