Equus
Courtesy QPAC Museum.

Equus

June 29th, 1989 — July 22nd, 1989

Venue

La Boite Theatre, Brisbane

Producer

La Boite Theatre

Director

Mark Radvan

Playwright

Peter Shaffer

Composer

Michael Whelan

Cast

Ian Leigh-Cooper
Scott Witt
Sue Lawson
Bruce Shepherd
Marguerite Millis
Jane-Maree Hurley
Hugh Taylor
Annie Burbrook
Tracey Fleming

Costume Designer

Andrew Raymond

Set Designer

Andrew Raymond

Lighting Designer

Julian Foster

Sound Designer

Michael Whelan

Equus by Peter Shaffer

This highly praised production of Peter Shaffer’s Equus was directed by Mark Radvan.Critic Barbara Hebden wrote “La Boite has crowned an exciting six months of 1989 with a powerful and polished production of Shaffer’s bleak and deeply moving exploration of the inner self” [i]and John Harris said “This is, in fact, probably one of the best productions of Equus you will see”.[ii]

Sue Gough, in commenting on the outstanding performance of Scott Witt in the lead role of Alan Stang, wrote in The Bulletin July 18, 1989:

Mark Radvan has an extraordinary ability to locate the talent latent in young actors and turn it into something superlative. Time and again he has conjured professional performances out of Brisbane drama students. Now, with his direction of Peter Shaffer’s Equus at La Boite, he can claim some overdue recognition from the public.

Writer: Dr Christine Comans

[i] Sunday Mail, July 2, 1989.

[ii] Daily Sun, June 30, 1989.

Tell us your story

I will never forget this performance. It was exhilarating and still one of the best pieces of theatre I have seen. I had come home from London and had seen a lot of Shakespeare at Covent Garden. I was so happy to see such quality theatre in Brisbane. I am a fan of intimate spaces for theatre and in the the round theatre. EQUUS blew my mind. The writing, the directing and the performance was top shelf. Brava!

Lisa Smith

Hi there, I was the composer / sound designer for this production. It would be terrific if you could add a credit for me on this page. Thanks, michael

Michael Whelan

Gallery

Scott Witt in the lead role as Alan Strang in Equus, in The Sun July 13 1989.
Scott Witt in the lead role as Alan Strang in Equus, in The Sun July 13 1989. Courtesy Rod Lumer.
Ian Leigh-Cooper and Scott Witt in Equus, in The Sun July 13 1989.
Ian Leigh-Cooper and Scott Witt in Equus, in The Sun July 13 1989. Courtesy Rod Lumer.
Sue Lawson and Ian Leigh Cooper in Equus, 1989.
Sue Lawson and Ian Leigh Cooper in Equus, 1989. Courtesy Rod Lumer.
Scott Witt as Alan Strang and Nathan Kotzur as the horse Nugget in Equus, The Courier Mail, June 24 1989
Scott Witt as Alan Strang and Nathan Kotzur as the horse Nugget in Equus, The Courier Mail, June 24 1989 Courtesy Rod Lumer.
Equus review in The Sun July 13 1989.
Equus review in The Sun July 13 1989. Courtesy Rod Lumer.

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