stage
live review
EQUUS
Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff, Tue 20 May
words DAVID GRIFFITHS
Equus starts with a description of a horrific act of violence, ends with
a graphic depiction of that act, and in between the audience is asked to
question what leads a person to act in such a way.
The structure of the play is that of a detective story: we know the crime and
the identity of the culprit from the beginning, but the motive unfolds through
a series of flashbacks and vignettes, as characters come onstage to offer the
audience some new piece of information.
Everyman Theatre are adept at staging challenging plays (a performance of
Good several years ago was a particular standout) and this production is no
exception. The direction handles the complex chronological structure of the
play well, and the depiction of the horses themselves and the final climatic
scene are effective and well-realised.
Henry Nott turns in a fine performance as Alan Strang. He shows a
character who is at once malevolent and sensitive, capable of violence, but
also wounded by the psychic violence of others. One of the strengths of
Nott’s performance is his portrayal of Strang’s journey from advertisingjingle-quoting catatonia to a fully realised and sympathetic individuality.
Steven Smith gives a solid performance as psychiatrist Martin Dysart; a
doctor much given to soliloquies and musings on ancient Greek religion.
Dysart is, in effect, the audience surrogate, there to tie the narrative
together and attempt to explicate Strang’s actions. Smith gives us a
character who doubts his vocation and is exhausted by his own questioning,
but is unable to ever stop questioning.
By showing us Strang’s interactions with the other characters in the play
Shaffer offers the audience what might be called a palimpsest theory of
human identity. The audience watches as Strang is overwritten with his
mother’s religious fervour, his father’s communist ideals and Dysart’s own
theories about the nature of authenticity. And this is where the problem lies:
Dysart presents Strang’s blinding of the horses as an authentic response
to the banal conformity of consumerist society. Is Shaffer really asking the
audience to believe that unspeakable cruelty is justified by the need for
individuality in an increasingly homogeneous society? Even the most fervent
of Nietzsche’s disciples would surely balk at that.
This kind of thing probably went down well in the early 70s, the era of RD
Laing’s anti-psychiatry, but now it appears a tad naïve, to say the least. At
just over 40 years old, the cultural and ideological timbers underpinning
Peter Schaffer’s psycho-sexual nightmare are starting to creak a little.
(Until Sat 14)
Robin Ince Grand Theatre
Arts Wing, Swansea. 7.45pm,
£10.50. Info 01792 475715.
Standup comedy meets a
lecture from Radio 4 staple. In
Newport tomorrow.
Romeo & Juliet Chepstow
Castle. 7.30pm, £14.50/£7.50
kids. Info 01291 623772. The
Lord Chamberlain’s Men
BUZZ 76
with a 10-year anniversary
production.
The Fall Of The House
Of Usher Wales Millennium
Centre, Cardiff Bay. 4pm,
£6.50-£26.50. Info 029 2063
6464. Double operatic bill,
presented by Welsh National
Opera and also on Sun 15.
The Lady Boys Of Bangkok
The Sabai Pavilion, Roald Dahl
Plass, Cardiff Bay. 7 + 9pm,
£10-£32. Info 029 2030 4400.
(Until Sat 14)
Wyeside Comedy Club The
Wyeside Arts Centre, Builth
Wells. 8pm, £10/£8. Info 01982
552555. With acts TBC.
saturday 14
All Creatures Great And
Small New Theatre, Cardiff.
2.30 + 7.30pm, £9.50-£29.50.
Info 029 2087 8889. (Finishes
today)
And Then There Were None
Savoy Theatre, Monmouth.
7.30pm, £8 adv. Info 01600
772467. (Finishes today)
As You Like It Cyfarthfa
Castle Grounds, Merthyr
Tydfil. 2 + 7pm, £6-£14. Info
029 2030 4400. (Until Sat 14)
Beneath The Streets Secret
location, Cardiff city centre.
6.30pm, £5 adv. Info 029 2030
4400.
Bouncers Grand Theatre
Circle Bar, Swansea. 7pm,
£10.50. Info 01792 475715.
Chris Turner + Rudi
Lickwood Jongleurs, Cardiff.
7pm, from £15. Info 08700
111960. Plus one more comic
TBC.
Comedy Weekend Dylan
Thomas Centre, Swansea.
6.30-10.30pm. Info 01792
463980. Today features John
Osborne (4.30-5.30pm),
Edward Aczel (6-7pm), a
Welsh Stand-Up Showcase
with Matt Rees, Gareth Brand
and Jordan Brookes (7.308.30pm) and Rob Deering
(9-10pm). (Until Sun 15)
Dr Seuss’ The Cat In The
Hat Royal Welsh College Of
Music & Drama, Cardiff. 1 +
3pm, £8 adv. Info 029 2039
1391.
Gareth Richards + Ben
Norris + Ro Campbell +
Julian Deane Glee Club,
Cardiff Bay. 7pm, £17.50. Info
0871 4720400.
Gwyn Wales Millennium
Centre, Cardiff Bay. 10.30am
+ 1.30pm, £7. Info 029 2063
6464.
Here Come The Juniors
Grand Theatre Arts Wing,
Swansea. 6pm, £5. Info 01792
475715. Variety show from
Swansea Grand Theatre
School Of Drama And The
Performing Arts.
Ignite Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli.
7pm, £8/£6. Info 0845
2263510. Showcase for Coleg
Sir Gâr’s dance students.
Jack And The Beanstalk
Royal Welsh College Of Music
& Drama, Cardiff. 11am, £8.
Info 029 2039 1391. With live
accompaniment from the
Scherzo Brass Quintet.
Little Shop Of Horrors
Gwyn Hall, Neath. 2.30 +
7pm, £10/£8. Info 0300
3656677.
Modern Living Y Ffwrnes,
Llanelli. 7.30pm, £10. Info
0845 2263510. A play about
a woman who loses custody
of her son.
Nabucco Wales Millennium
Centre, Cardiff Bay. 7.15pm,
£5-£40. Info 029 2063 6464.
Pembrokeshire Talent
Showcase Torch Theatre,
Milford Haven. 7pm, £8/£5.
Info 01646 695267. Featuring
singers and dancers from various local groups.
Peppa Pig’s Big Splash
Grand Theatre, Swansea. 1
+ 4pm, £8-£16. Info 01792
475715. On tomorrow also.
Pygmalion Dolman Theatre,
Newport. 2.30 + 7.15pm,
£8.50-£12.50. Info 01633
263670. (Finishes today)
Residency Presentation:
Beth Gill Chapter Arts
Centre, Cardiff. 7pm, £7. Info
029 2030 4400. Sharing dance
material from a new work,
Core.
Robin Ince The Riverfront,
Newport. 8pm, £12.50/£10.50.
Info 01633 656757.
The Lady Boys Of
Bangkok The Sabai Pavilion,
Roald Dahl Plass, Cardiff Bay.
7 + 9pm, £10-£34.