I think it’s a wonderful thing that, in this day and age when maggot-riddled corpses are considered run-of-the-mill television images, audiences can still be shocked and disturbed by Peter Shaffer’s 37-year-old masterpiece Equus. The penultimate scene where the naked and frenzied teenager (played with remarkable magnetism by Jackson Byrne) blinds six horses is played out with an imaginary hoof pick, stylized horse-head masks and ribbons for blood, but it is a searing image that remains with you long after the play is over. And while I’m always raving about the actors in these King's Theatrical Society productions, I want to stress that this is a cast to take note of. Everyone from the religious mother (Bri Bijman who manages to seem mature beyond her years) to the flirtatious young girl (Lauren Walsh-Greene who has the perfect mix of innocence and worldliness) brings something memorable to their parts. But George Dysari deserves special mention for making us forget his youth and believe that he is a world-weary psychiatrist. Bravo cast!
When: Through March 27, 8 p.m.
Price: $5/$7
Where: The Pit, Arts and Administration Building, University of King's College, 6350 Coburg