More on Dan and the Equus Stage Play

[Steve]

Recently at The Leaky Cauldron there was an update on Dan's role in
the stage play 'Equus'.

http://the-leaky-cauldron.org/index.php?articleID=9138

"...rehearsals for the play will begin on January 3, 2007 and will
have a 16 week run "at the Gielgud Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue, with
previews starting on February 16 and an official opening night planned
for February 27. ..."Equus" will be staged in a manner consistent with
past productions: Sixty audience members will be seated onstage...."


I know from our previous discussion that there are some here who have
seen this production on stage. I'm confused about the 60 audience
members on stage. What is the purpose of that, and doesn't that really
restict the actors? From my limited knowledge most stages are not that
big. It is usually near miraculous that even the most basic play fits
on to them. Is Equus somewhat like 'Our Town' where props and stage
settings are intentionally minimalistic? How do they manage the horse
riding on such a restricted stage? That would seem difficult even on
the best /staged/ stage.

Next I know others here have mentioned that 'Equus' is a somewhat
popular play to be stage by better high school theater groups. I have
to wonder how they deal with some of the more challenging logistical
problem of staging this particular play. For example, how do high
school productions deal with the nudity? Obviously, they don't do it,
but what do they substitute instead; underwear, swimwear, fully
clothed, body suit, etc...? Would even the implication of nudity be
allowed in a high school production?

The second aspect is the horseback riding. How is that stage in an
amateur production? Someone here said that fellow actors played the
role of the horse, but how can that be done in such a dramatic play
without it becoming ridiculously comical? 

I would really love to travel to London to see this play. It seems
such a tremendously dramatic role for Dan. If anything proves his
acting skills, this would certainly be it.

Just curious.

Steve/bboyminn