Allen leaps into the bare Equus saddle

Mar 27 2008 by Karen Price, Western Mail

ALFIE ALLEN is following in the footsteps of Daniel Radcliffe by making his stage debut in the controversial play Equus.

Following a record-breaking run in London’s West End, the play is now on the road with Allen, Simon Callow and Linda Thorson in the leading roles.

And, of course, it famously requires Allen to strip.

It tells the story of psychiatrist Martin Dysart (Callow) who is brought the most challenging case of his career by magistrate Hesther Saloman (Thorson).

Alan Strang (Allen) seems like a normal 17-year-old. His life is routine and his family loving. However, Alan’s passion for horses and his first experience with a girl, stable-hand Jill (Laura O’Toole) has led him to behave in the most devastating way. Only Dysart seems able to grasp the answer to this psychological puzzle.

Callow has a host of credits to his name, including the films A Room With a View, Four Weddings and a Funeral and Shakespeare in Love.

On stage he was most recently seen in the West End and on Broadway in his one-man show on Charles Dickens, and even more recently on television when he appeared again as Charles Dickens in the BBC Wales-produced TV series Doctor Who. The episode was filmed at Cardiff’s New Theatre, which is where Equus is being staged.

Allen, like his pop star sister Lily, is the latest rising star of the Allen family, headed by father Keith.

He was recently been seen in hit films The Other Boleyn Girl and Atonement. Television credits include Stephen Poliakoff’s drama Joe’s Palace and the BBC series Casualty 1907.

Thorson is not only an award-winning stage actress with extensive theatre credits that include Noises Off and City of Angels on Broadway, but she has reached iconic status for the character she created – Tara King in the cult TV series The Avengers for which she was awarded an honorary Bafta Award in 2000.

Most recently she has played Rosemary Sinclair in Emmerdale.

Equus is at the New Theatre, Cardiff, from April 7 to 12. The box office number is 029 2087 8889.

Karen Price