Review: 'For Want of a Horse'

By Emilie St. John

The Echo Village Theater continues to push the envelope with its new stage play…'For Want of a Horse' and its not what you think it is.

Billed as an "absurdly funny, wildly unconventional love story" playwright Olivia Dufault delves into two men's infatuation with having sex with animals. One with a dog and the other with a horse.

Steven Culp and Joey Stromberg Photo by Cooper Bates

Joey Stromberg (Echo productions of What Happened When and The Witchery) stars as Calvin. Calvin is devoted to his wife, Bonnie, played by Jenny Soo (recipient of a Stage Raw award for her performance in the Echo's Gloria). But, as Calvin confesses to his best friend, PJ (Steven Culp, seen at the Echo in Handjob and The Enablers), if he's to move forward, he needs to open up their relationship to include his new romantic partner. One complication: that partner would be Q-Tip (played by Griffin Kelly of HBO's Emmy-winning series, Book of Queer) — and Q-Tip is a horse.

The play's unusual subject matter was inspired by an unlikely 2014 New York magazine article titled "What It's Like to Date a Horse," part of the magazine's "What It's Like" series of in-depth interviews with people who lead atypical lives.

"Reading that article, I was immediately captivated, horrified and amused," Dufault explains. "Whenever I feel those kinds of conflicting emotions, I know it's a story worth exploring. I found myself deeply empathizing with that unnamed man, with his enormous capacity for self-loathing and self-hatred. That is the power— and the peril—of empathy."

Although this is a strange "love story" it is one that is very real and leaves the audience pondering if animal sex is considered rape?

Calvin and Bonnie have a blowout discussion of his non consensual sexcapades with Q-Tip and quite frankly I couldn't understand why she didn't abruptly leave him as PJ's wife packed up and left him. Instead Bonnie attempted to rationalize the act by insisting on "watching" and then becoming increasing jealous of not only his attraction but to his devotion as well.

Watching this play at times was cringe because of the subject matter, however, it is one of those plays that really pushes boundaries to bring authentic storytelling to the stage.

This play prompted me to do a little research and found that according to the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF), the only state that doesn't criminalize sexual assault of animals is West Virginia.

"There is a large gap between the legal protections for animals that people think exist — or think should exist — and the laws that are actually on the books," says ALDF Senior Staff Attorney Kathleen Wood. "Regardless of rank, every state and territory has room for improvement. Our Rankings Report highlights the ways each of these jurisdictions can strengthen their laws to ensure that all animals receive the protections they need and deserve."

'For Want of a Horse' is a well written play especially how Dufault wrote for Q-Tip. Understanding the inner thoughts of the animals experience really tied this play together. The set designers and sound engineers did an excellent job of utilizing the stage to present this work and the audience is in for a surprise ending that will have you rethinking everything you thought you knew about Zoophilia.

For Want of a Horse is playing at the Atwater Village Theatre, located at 3269 Casitas Ave in Los Angeles, CA 90039 through May 25. For more information and to purchase tickets, call (747) 350-8066 or go to www.EchoTheaterCompany.com.