'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