barns.blog

I first came across Equus in High School. It was a play which Lidia Upton was obsessed. At the time I only read little bits of it and never really knew what it was about. However, when I got the opportunity to see it, I jumped at it. It was only later that I realised that it has become a very well known play recently as Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) has starred in it in London.

Equus is usually regarded as one of the best “post war” dramatic productions, and it more than certainly lived up to expectations. At this stage of Fest, it is a tossup between Equus and Romeo and Juliet for my favourite production. It is a long play and has an interval – the first production I have seen at Fest to have one. Simply the story is of a child psychiatrist investigating the motive of a young man who stabbed the eyes out of six horses.

There is much, much more to the play, however. It is a complex and potentially unnerving play. It tackles Religion, alternate Religious views, alternate sexuality – and does so in a very passionate way. It is an uncomfortable play and contains nudity, strong language, even cigarettes (although these were not the real thing).

In contrast to 4.48 Psychosis, it is not immediately disturbing, but leaves you thinking. Well recommended.