Equus

Written by Peter Shaffer
Directed by Anne Somes
Presented by Free-Rain Theatre

My desire might be to make this boy an ardent husband – a caring citizen – a worshipper of abstract and unifying God. My achievement, however, is more likely to make a ghost!

Equus by Peter Shaffer is an electric play about passion and worship. Equus is very confronting and sets out to shock, excite and captivate its audience.

It is an exploration of the human condition with its confusions, paradoxes and unanswerable questions, blending the naturalistic with the surreal.

The play exposes the inner most secrets of Alan Strang and Martin Dysart, the psychiatrist who is under an obligation to treat the terrified boy who has committed a crime against 6 horses. The play, though deeply erotic, is also one of tragic conflict.

Alan is a lonely young man who is isolated from others of his own age. His private obsessions with sexual and religious images are converted by his loneliness into a fantasy of worship and passion for Equus.

Dysart revels in Alan’s imagination, his own monologues about his dreams and imaginings are strongly defined. In his reality, he is left with the tedium of everyday life and an unsatisfying marriage.

By Arrangement with ORiGiN™ Theatrical, On Behalf of Samuel French, A Concord Theatricals Company

CONTENT WARNING:

Occasional coarse language
Adult and sexual themes
Exploration of mental illness
Partial and full nudity
Simulated depiction of animal cruelty
18 years and over

In the news

Reviews - Equus

“Masterful, inventive, imaginative production …Jack Shanahan is riveting, offering a brave performance that requires him to perform naked for much of the second act…Arran McKenna shines in the demanding role of the psychiatrist, Martin Dysart…Sam Thomson… displays remarkable presence in the non-verbal role of the horse, Nugget, and his stablemates… it is the spectre of […]

Taking the reins of troubled Alan's 'why-dunnit'

By HELEN MUSA.This article originally appeared in Canberra City News on 12 November. English actor Richard Griffiths once famously said of Peter Shaffer’s Equus: “It’s not a whodunnit. It’s a why-dunnit”. That’s because, right from the outset, we know that a troubled boy, Alan Strang, has committed a horrendous act of violence against six horses […]

Horse power: Free-Rain unbridles Shaffer's Equus

By NICHOLAS FULLER.This article was originally published in the Canberra Daily website and Canberra Weekly magazine on 11 November 2025. Half a century ago, Peter Shaffer’s 1973 play Equus “shocked audiences everywhere”, to quote the tagline for Sidney Lumet’s film adaptation. It remains one of the most shocking works in modern theatre, one that “engages, provokes, and […]

Casting - 'horses' Greek Chorus in Equus

Free-Rain is looking for some young performing artists aged 18 years plus, of any gender identity, for the roles of horses as the Greek Chorus in Equus. The horse is the primary symbol in Equus, and it represents: power, freedom, animal desire. Alan Strang’s worship of the horse-god Equus emphasizes the pure physicality of the […]

Casting call for open roles in 2 Free-Rain shows

Free-Rain Theatre Company have announced the very talented casts for their three shows on at ACT Hub in 2025. Excitingly, there are still a few roles yet to be cast, so if you’re keen to tread the boards with the amazing talent already cast, we’d love you to send your expression of interest (EOI) to freeraintheatre@gmail.com as […]

Cast announcement - Equus

Equus by Peter Shaffer is an electric play about passion and worship. Equus is very confronting and sets out to shock, excite and captivate its audience. It is an exploration of the human condition with its confusions, paradoxes and unanswerable questions, blending the naturalistic with the surreal. Free-Rain Theatre Company are thrilled to announce the […]

Callback, Videos & EOIs for Free-Rain's Season 2025 at ACT Hub

Callbacks for Beauty Queen and Lend Me a Tenor will be held on Saturday 18th January at Cook. New auditionees are asked to send an EOI. For Equus, new auditionees are asked to send an EOI.

Details

When:
12 November – 22 November 2025

Where:
ACT Hub
Causeway Hall, Kingston
14 Spinifex Street, Kingston ACT 2604

View program

Cast

Martin Dysart – Arran McKenna
Alan Strang – Jack Shanahan
Frank Strang / Harry Dalton – Bruce Hardie
Dora Strang – Janie Lawson
Hesther Salomon – Crystal Mahon
Jill Mason – Lily Welling
A Nurse – Caitlin Bissett
Nugget / Young Horseman – Sam Thomson
Horses – Jamie Johnston, Finlay Forrest, Samara Glesti, Bianca Lawson, Robert Wearden

Creatives

Director – Anne Somes
Associate Director – Crystal Mahon
Movement Director – Amy Campbell
Intimacy Coordinator & Stage Manager – Jill Young
Set Design – Cate Clelland
Lighting Design – Craig Muller
Sound Design – Neville Pye and Patrick Dixon
Live Soundscape – Crystal Mahon
Costume Design – Anne Somes
Director of Marketing – Olivia Wenholz
Videographer & Social Media – Lachlan Elderton
Production Photography – Janelle McMenamin
ACT Hub Season Photography – Ben Appleton – Photox