Director should be proud of his company

'EQUUS', performed by Shining Lights, at Bradfield Outdoor Greek Theatre, on Sunday, July 23 and Monday, July 24.

It was an ambitious choice for Shining Lights Youth Theatre to perform Peter Shaffer's challenging, psychological play 'Equus' in the delightful surroundings of Bradfield College's open-air theatre. The play concerns both a young boy's self-destructive obsession with his horse-god Equus and his psychiatrist's professional crises over the uses of passion and reason.

Joe Thorpe is a talented youngster who gave a splendidly furtive and passionate performance as the petulant, troubled, Alan Strang, the boy who blinds his horse, Nugget, and five others with a spike. Consequently he is sent by the magistrate (Laura Hamblin) to psychiatrist Martin Dysart, confidently played by Marc Godfrey, who is desperately hungry for divine contact. The doctor's unravelling of the voting man's motives highlights his own internal deconstruction.

Charli Johnson brought a lively characterisation as Alan's religious, bewildered mother and Paul Kerry played the powerful father in a family who shows us the frustrations of people, although married, living alone.

The chorus of horses, (Sophie Hicklin, Melanie Rosier, Abi Preston, Rhys Swinburn) in the original splendid masks from the National Theatre's 1973 production are always present both on stage and in Alan's mind and their carefully stylised choreography added a visually ritualistic dimension to the play. Carl Stallwood portrayed Nugget with strength and conviction particularly in the powerful scene, which ended the first act when rider and horse were as one.

Stable owner (Nick Davies) introduces Alan to Jill Mason, sensitively played by Amy Phillips and their friendship grows but when she decides to seduce Alan in the stables in front of the horses the horror is enacted and Alan has to he true to his passion for Nugget.

Director Pete Watt inventively used every part of the theatre space with great effect. He should he proud of his talented company. It was a pity that the acoustics of the open-air theatre made it difficult to hear some of the lines. Perhaps the play demands a more intimate theatre space that would have bonded the audience and actors but as Peter Shaffer wrote to the company: "daring really is many times its own greatest reward".

ROBIN STRAPP Newbury Weekly News

Churchill challenges audience

'THIS IS A CHAIR', at The Corn Exchange, on Thursday, November 23, 2000.

It was brave for Shining Lights to choose to move to the Corn Exchange for its production of Caryl Churchill's 'This is a Chair', particularly since this was the first time a non-professional company has performed it. We were promised a compelling play that would be a challenging experience and something different and it certainly was.

Striking projected images and dramatic lighting perfectly created the atmosphere of this play about communication, control and the lack of control. The 'chair' itself was a powerful symbol used to good effect by this committed group of young actors.

Pete Watts' controlled and tight direction steers us through Churchill's unusual theatrical structure. We are in the realms of physical theatre and see a beautifully choreographed beginning, a superb tube train journey and are invited to explore such diverse subjects as the war in Bosnia, animal conservation, Northern Ireland, genetic engineering, gay issues, pornography and politics. Not bad for a theatre piece lasting thirty-five minutes!

This was very much an ensemble piece with a strong cast of 12 and it would be invidious to comment on everyone's performance. However David Caldwell, Francesca Tambina and Ruth Muttram, created a powerful scene in dealing with an anorexic daughter, forcing her to eat.

In a scene entitled 'Hong Kong' Marc Godfrey, Stuart Hunter and James Elliot sensitively portrayed the problems faced by gay relationships with sensitivity.

Andy Stratford's evocative original music effectively linked the scenes together, enhanced by Tina Harrison's artistic images.

At the end of the performance the audience were invited to attend a director's talkback to find out more about the play, which to be honest most of us wanted to know! Even the cast were asking questions about what the play was about. But that's Caryl Churchill's challenge!

Shining Lights do not regard themselves as youth theatre, more as a training ground for young people to learn skills that will help them in future life, for auditions at drama schools or self-confidence to make their mark on the world. I wish them well for the future.

 

ROBIN STRAPP Newbury Weekly News