Unifaun’s first play for this season will be the controversial Equus by Peter Shaffer. Josanne Cassar spoke to the director Marcelle Theuma and the young actor who play the lead, Sean Buhagiar.

When producer Adrian Buckle approached Marcelle Theuma to direct Equus she jumped at the chance.

“It was a play I was already familiar with. And, yes, it is a very challenging play and a very powerful one too. The play is built upon various striking issues. The tragedy that Peter Shaffer presents in Equus does not lie in a conflict between right and wrong, but in a collision between two different kinds of ‘right’. In this case, between Dysart’s (the psychiatrist) professional obligation to treat a terrified boy who has committed a dreadful crime, and Alan’s (the boy) passionate capacity to worship. It is about whether an individual is regarded as an object to be changed rather than as a person to be accepted. Although it was written in the ‘70s I believe that the play presents themes which are still relevant today and this is basically why I want to work upon this project.”

The play recently received critical acclaim at the West End. Has this influenced you in any way?

“Let’s say I would like to think it has not, but yes, at the back of my mind, I know that theatre audiences will maybe have higher expectations and I hope that these will be fulfilled with our production of this play.”

When putting up a well-known production, the first decision any director faces is whether their version will differ from that of other directors.

Marcelle points out that one of the significant differences is the space they will be working in.

“The St James theatre is a small and ultimately, an intimate space and to stage Equus will be quite interesting. The mise en scene, of course, requires drastic changes but is nevertheless effective. The play in itself is open ended and we are left with a lot of questions as to why Alan Strang, a 17-year-old boy, blinded six horses all in one night. Maybe the success of this play lies entirely on whether it can evoke in the audience the mystery and horror of this very act…which is what I, as director of this play, will be greatly focusing upon.”

When it came to casting, Marcelle admits that the hardest part was to find the actor to interpret Alan Strang. “It is definitely a very demanding role for any young actor. However it is not an impossible one either.”

I mention the controversy in London following the decision to have the young boy (played by Harry Potter’s Daniel Radcliffe), appear in the nude and ask whether she feels the nude scene is necessary.

“I believe that the controversy was not whether the boy actor should appear in the nude but that Daniel Radcliffe i.e. Harry Potter, the children’s icon, was going to appear on stage in the nude! The play is not about this issue at all but I’m sure that Daniel Radcliffe made very good use of this controversy to increase his cache (good luck to him, of course). I do not question the need for such a scene - the play is not about this particular scene and there is so much else happening. Theatre audiences in Malta are mature and appreciate good productions.”

The last time I interviewed Marcelle she was deep into the production of Marat Sade, which she still speaks about with great enthusiasm.

“Marat Sade was a very exciting and rewarding experience and I am sure that Equus will be as well.”

SEAN BUHAGIAR

Sean Buhagiar takes on the challenging role of Alan Strang and he admits to having a mixture of emotions.

“I feel challenged, excited, and expectant. It is THE test for my acting career and skills. I do feel professional satisfaction to have been cast through an audition nevertheless I also feel the need to prove the producers right, and most of all to prove myself right.”

Sean has loved theatre his whole life, ever since school days with his first ‘breakthrough’ as Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, at the age of five!

When I ask Sean what kind of preparation or research he has undertaken for this role of a disturbed young man, he points out that by defining Alan Strang as ‘disturbed’, I have already made a statement about the character.

“Disturbed can be interpreted differently; let’s say that he is in psychiatric care. We met with a professional psychiatrist and visited a psychiatric ward. However, I do not want to be affected too much by norms surrounding ‘disturbed’ young men; Alan Strang does not fall within these norms. I have to rigorously prepare body and soul, to undertake the role of Alan Strang, and not a disturbed young man. This kind of preparation is the very process leading to a performance. I will be able to answer this question after the performance and not now.”

The sexual nature of this play can be daunting for any young actor. Does it make you nervous to think you have to perform in such an intimate theatre as St James?

“Nervousness is a block which every actor has to handle; it is not proportional to space. The play holds many more ‘natures’ than just its sexual nature, and it is this that challenges me. The theatre space is intimate, yes, however it would have been the same situation and same process to portray Alan Strang at the national theatre. My concern is to be faithful to the artistry of the play and the strength of the character; the space is irrelevant.”

Sean says the most difficult aspect of this is that “One has to undress himself from all cultural norms and systems to be able to start understanding Alan. This is a thorny task considering the effect of culture on us nowadays.”

He adds that what he likes most about the role is its difficulty, its prestige (it has been directed by Peter Firth with actors Daniel Radcliffe and Tom Hulce) and its rareness.

EQUUS will also include Alan Paris, Pia Zammit, Colin Willis, Lilian Pace, Jo Caruana, Jean Pierre Agius, Jovan Pisani, Clayton Camilleri, Jan Zammit and Valerie Blow. It will be on at St James Cavalier between 2 – 4 November and 9 – 11 November. This play is certified 18. Tickets are available on 21223216, 21223200 or [email protected]. Prices are at Lm6.50 except first night (2 November) which will be sold at Lm5.50.

About Equus

Alan Strang seems a normal, obedient 17-year-old with a passion for horses. Then one night he blinds six horses with a hoof pick. What drove him to it? His life seems routine, his family loving, his pursuits harmless and yet he has been placed under psychiatric surveillance - an unresponsive patient who is woken each night by terrible nightmares. Only psychiatrist Martin Dysart seems able to grasp the answer to this psychological puzzle.