College of Charleston theater takes on daring production, "Equus," twenty years after it first premiered

Twenty years ago, the College of Charleston's Emmett Robinson Theatre opened with a play about religion, violence, sexual repression and mental illness.

"Equus," the first play ever presented by the School of the Arts in 1990, is back with imaginative constructs and magical theater conventions. This weekend and next, "Equus" makes its return.

"Peter Shaffer's script is comprised of very powerful emotional upheavals," said Mark Landis, director and theater professor. "The play invites its audience to celebrate a very eerie and somewhat redemptive ritual in which private imaginings, private fears and more are exposed."

"I think the audience will find this a thrilling and gratifying experience, but, frankly, it may not be for everyone," he continued. "The subject matter is very personal, the most sensitive of which pertains to sexuality, and there is nudity on stage. But I think those who choose to join us for this will have much to think about, or will maybe even be haunted by, on the way home."

College of Charleston student actor Spencer Jones and theater professor/actor Evan Parry will lead the cast in exploring these evocative themes for which this 1973 Shaffer work is known.

Jones plays Alan Strang, a 17-year-old working-class boy in England. He is conflicted with contradictory views on religion, sex and morality thanks to a very religious mother and atheist father. The extremes of his darkest dreams and desires manifest in a sexual fascination with, and worship of, horses. He confuses the two passions in his reverence of his own created god, "Equus."

"Spencer plays Alan in a way that draws us into this character, despite our revulsion with some of his actions," said Landis.

"He's playing what is arguably one of the most demanding roles written for a young man in the past few decades. Spencer has been an absolutely fearless actor in this process. He has an enormous sensitivity to Alan's plight and the courage he has shown in every rehearsal to explore Alan's private fears and private ecstasy has impacted every other performance, in fact every other aspect, of our production."

Through personal revelations about sex that come from his father and friend, Jill, Alan acts upon these inclinations and ends up in sessions with psychiatrist Dr. Martin Dysart (Parry).

Dr. Dysart is waging his own internal battle with self-doubt, purpose and disappointment with his career. In order to help young Alan, he must expose what lurks beneath his own exterior. As his own process of self-realization unfolds, so do the epiphanies he draws out of Alan.

"Evan and Spencer have been terrific together in their rehearsals. Evan is such a well-respected acting teacher, and he connects so well with all of his students that it was a treat to watch the relationship between Dysart and Alan as these two actors were evolving it," said Landis.

"Those of us who watch the play every night -- and that includes the entire cast because in this production they are all on stage for the entire play -- have had some pretty emotional moments watching Evan and Spencer play some very tender and very explosive moments between the two

characters."

The exchanges between the two form a thrilling story that questions some of the strongest held societal values.

"The other cast members who play the principle characters in the story are given these absolutely electric scenes to play with each other," said Landis.

"Every scene in the play is so charged with the danger of imminent exposure, imminent truth, that it was thrilling to watch the actors grapple with each other every night of rehearsal."

Drawing the viewer in further are the costumes by Janine McCabe. Her representations of humans as horses blur the lines that the dialogue can't.

"There are 16 actors in the cast. Six of them make up an ensemble that do a variety of things during the play, but the most intriguing thing they do is to play horses," said Landis.

"They do this in a way that is not realistic but is, instead, evocative, and they each wear some eerily beautiful costume pieces."

Made from copper and steel, her creations elevate the equine characters over their human counterparts, both literally and metaphorically. In order to evoke the movement of horses, movement coach Cristy Landis took the actors to Ravenel to meet with horse trainers Van and Kim Sturgeon.

"Peter Shaffer's play has continued to excite people since it premiered over 30 years ago because it is such an extraordinary creation," said Landis. "The playwright chose to tell a modern psychological tale in the mode of a ritual as ancient as the theatre itself."

For mature audiences only

A note of caution: The play contains both nudity and mature subject matter. It is not for children.

If you go

Who: College of Charleston's production of 'Equus.'

Where: Emmett Robinson Theatre, 54 St. Philips St.

When: 8 p.m. Feb. 25-27, March 1 and 2; 3 p.m. Feb. 28.

Tickets: $10 for senior citizens, C of C students, faculty and staff; $15 for all others.

More info: Tickets can be purchased in advance at the department of theater; call 953-6306 for information.

Previous versions of this story said the play was the first on the Emmett Robinson Theatre stage. It was the first production of the School of the Arts. The Post and Courier regrets the error.