Article: WA Today, Friday May 15th, 2009

Equus coup brings provocative play to Perth

Daile Pepper

The Perth Theatre Company has won exclusive rights to bringEquus - the controversial play in which Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe appeared naked on stage - to Australia.

The company scored exclusive southern hemisphere rights to the play. The September season of Sir Peter Shaffer's work will be the first time Equus has been professionally performed outside of Broadway and London's West End for nearly 30 years.

Actor William McInnes, who won the best actor Australian Film Institute award last year, will star as psychiatrist Martin Dysart in the confronting play about the professional's treatment of a stable boy who commits a horrific act of violence against some horses.

Equus is the story of the 17-year-old boy, to be played by Khan Chittenden from Packed to the Rafters, and the sexual and religious mystery behind his actions. It delves deep into the psyche of the young man.

During its recent Broadway season the show received rave reviews, with Radcliffe starring alongside fellow Harry Potteractor Richard Griffiths. The part of the psychiatrist has also been played over the years by actors including Anthony Hopkins and Richard Burton.

The initiative to bring the play to Perth was a joint one by the PTC and His Majesty's Theatre.

His Majesty's Theatre general manager Rodney Phillips said their collaboration on Shaffer's Amadeus in 2006 had led to the two organisations working together again on Equus.

The Perth Theatre Company's general manager, Tony Bonney, said Equus was one of the greatest plays of the twentieth century.

"Equus will be the most notable event in the Australian theatre calendar this year," he said.

"The fact that we have this opportunity over far larger companies across the country is testament to the company's commitment to text-based theatre."