Wednesday 24 August 2011

Back in the Saddle

Everyone knows "Equus". At least, everyone knows that Daniel Radcliffe took off all his clothes in it at the Nash in 2007. Men of my vintage tend to remember the fact that Jenny Agutter removed hers in the 1972 film, sometime after she mislaid them in "Walkabout" and before they eluded her again in "Logan's Run". So the play is in the general consciousness for odd reasons, a bit like "Abigail's Party".
All of which is an disingenuous way of getting onto LCT's new tour, in which I'm playing Frank Strang (through a convoluted set of circumstances, more of which later) and also a horse called Trooper. Now those who visit this blog often will know I'm a bit of a master at the old movement game, and that Rambert often call me in when they've hit a sticky moment. But a horse is not in my normal sphere of comfort, as it were. However, with Michael's keen eye and some masterclass work from Aidan Downing, who's playing the lead horse Nugget, the lovely Jamie Matthewman and I are getting there. I am perhaps a hoof or two behind Jamie in my progress, but nonetheless it gets less shaky every day - although I'm sure I can see Michael's finger scrolling through his iPhone favourites for "Stemp, Richard" from time to time...