Gandhis adaptation aims to portray the dark theme of the play Equus,to be staged by FTII students,in a surrealistic manner Ever since its maiden production by the Royal National Theatre in London,in 1973,the play has garnered not only positive and rave reviews for the performances of the actors,but also received accolades for revolving around a subject that was uncommon as it was path breaking. And as the students of the second year,post graduate Acting Diploma Course at the Film and Television Institute of India prepare to enact the play,Equus (Horse),at the FTII Theatre today and tomorrow,a sense of déjà vu prevails amongst the cast and crew of the film regarding the original concept,its theatrical adaptation for the local audiences and a whole lot more. Speaking about the play,director of the play Manish Gandhi says,Equus is one of those few plays that dared to break the traditional shackles and societal norms to portray an unusual issue and think differently. And while most people might assume we are reinterpreting the original play written by Shaffer but that is not the case. The only difference lies in the use of the theatrical devices that actors use in the play,and the re-invention of the characters according to the setting provided. The two-hour long play deals with the story of a psychiatrist who is called in to treat a young 17-year-old boy whose sociological and psychological implications under confused beliefs of religion and sexuality blinds six horses. Speaking more about the role,Gandhi who also plays the role of the young boy Alan Strang,says,Preparing for the role was not at all easy given the fact that I am 24 years old,and I had to not only work on my looks,to look the age of Strang,but also work on the style,the way the character would behave,move,and even talk. The play depicts the state of mind of Alan Strang,the imaginative,emotional and psychological troubles that he undergoes. In the words of Gandhi,Shaffer combines psychological realism with expressionistic theatrical techniques and that is what has given the actors enough scope to use dances,mimes and unusual lighting techniques to achieve various theatrical effects. Sudev Nair,who plays the role of Dr Martin Dysart,the psychiatrist who treats Strang,says,The original play,spoke about so many issues that were considered taboo during those times,that it,itself was path breaking in its own ways. For me playing the role of Dr Dysart,meant that I had to delve into the psyche of two people,one that of Alan Strang,and the other,of the doctor himself. I prepared for the role,by not only watching the film adaptation of the play,but also by reading a lot about psychology,mythology and philosophy. Play of words* Created in 1973 the play was awarded the 1975 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding New Foreign Play,the1975 Tony Award and the 1975 New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Play.* Equus was revived in 2007 with Richard Griffiths and Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) in the leading roles at the Gielgud Theatre in London.* The play was performed for the first time in India by the Prithvi theatre this year in February* It was also made into a 1977 film of the same name with actors like Peter Firth,Richard Burton,and Eileen Atkins acting in it.* Peter Firth also acted in the first ever-theatrical adaptation of the play in 1973,which was staged at the Royal National Theatre. (The play will be staged at the FTII main theatre,today and tomorrow at 6.30 pm)
