Equus will be performed on stage at the Hawthorne Theatre in Welwyn Garden City

SEE this week’s Welwyn Hatfield Times for a special discount voucher for a forthcoming production at the Hawthorne Theatre in Welwyn Garden City.

Equus will be performed on stage at the Hawthorne Theatre in Welwyn Garden City

PETER Shaffer play Equus gallops into the Hawthorne Theatre next week.

And you could watch the thriller at a discounted rate by cutting out the voucher printed in this week’s Welwyn Hatfield Times.

These days, TV dramas about criminals and psychoanalysts are everywhere, and are deservedly popular.

But you probably have to go back to 1973 and the first staging of Shaffer’s Equus to find the model they all aspire to.

In a Hampshire stable, a young man blinds six horses with a metal spike. Convicted and sent to a secure psychiatric hospital, 17-year old Alan Strang is at first quiet and uncooperative.

But as Martin Dysart, the psychiatrist assigned to him, begins to gain his trust so the terrible truths emerge. However, they come with a price – to the patient and doctor alike.

With a production hailed as ‘taut, flawless and compelling’ by The Stage, London Classic Theatre will be presenting Equus at Campus West, in WGC, from Monday to Wednesday, July 4.

Hot on the heels of the critically acclaimed West End revival starring Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe, this new touring production breathes fresh life into a theatrical masterpiece.

The set design resembles a Greek amphitheatre with the cast of eight on stage all the time but fading into the background when not involved in the action.

Director Michael Cabot coaxes convincing portrayals from his two leads as the balance of power subtly shifts and questions about their lives – and, by implication, those of the audience – come to the fore.

Containing strong language, adult themes and some nudity, this is not a play for those easily offended.

However, if you can stay the course with these horses and their attacker, you will be richly rewarded.

Performances are at 7.30pm with an additional matinee at 2.30pm on the Wednesday.

Tickets are normally £16.50, £13.50 concessions, but the voucher printed in this week’s Welwyn Hatfield Times may be exchanged for up to two tickets at £10 each (* terms and conditions apply).