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Oakland presents edgy ‘Equus’
By Eric McCrea
Youngstown
The Oakland Center for the Arts has a reputation for taking on the challenging, controversial and the bold. Its new production of “Equus” is no exception.
Best known for its intense, adult subject matter and full-frontal nudity, “Equus” is the bizarre tale of a troubled young teen Alan Strang, played by Cheney Morgan, who has an unusual obsession with horses, . After nearly landing in prison, the young Brit finds himself (involuntarily) in the care of Dr. Martin Dysart, portrayed by Tim Thomas. The good doctor, who is struggling with his own nightmares, begins to delve into the disturbed mind of his new ward with varying levels of success.
Dr. Dysart investigates Alan’s life, beginning with his atheist father (Eric Kibler) who forbade the lad to watch TV, and his religiously zealous mother (Molly Galano) who struggles to understand where she went wrong.
Director Vaughn Schmidt has put together an edgy and precise show with an amazing cast. His attention to detail is prevalent from the first moment when the audience is plunged into darkness. The coordination of sound and light cues was pure professionalism, especially at the end of the first act. Set changes were quick and graceful.
Morgan is outstanding in this role. His dedication is unwavering, even in the most twisted moments, and his intensity is gut-wrenching.
Thomas has a subtler intensity, but a greater strength for nuance. As he gets sucked into Alan’s mind, he slowly loses his battle to hide his own demons.
Galano and Kibler are excellent as parents thrust into a world of emotional turmoil, trying to come to grips with the actions of their son and the cause behind them.
Kylie Davis is the perfect choice for the spritely mischievous Jill Mason. Her sweet yet cheeky character is a cohesive complement to Morgan’s twisted, lost boy.
As Dr. Dysart’s colleague Hester Salomon, played by Joanna Andrei, was impeccably British, from her accent to her reserved and demure mannerisms. She was a definite hidden gem in this tumultuous tragedy.
Also playing an important part in “Equus” are six actors who play horses. Although somewhat off-putting at first, their subtle, horselike movements are at times elegant and at other times chilling. Nugget, played by Daniel Lancy, is especially critical to the story. The interpretive headpieces, made by costume designer Robert Dennick Joki, are avant garde and gritty.
The set was a dichotomy of bareness and order, an ideal metaphor for this play.
The use of accents in this show wasn’t quite spot-on. The variances of dialect between the actors was more of a distraction than an enhancement.
At surface level, “Equus” is a demented journey into the life of a misguided and stranded youth, who becomes a victim of his environment and his own mind. But at its core, this play is a dark psychological crime thriller.
Strong sexual content and violent situations make this show inappropriate for young audiences.
Equus runs at The Oakland on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. through April 26. For reservations, call 330-746-0404.