Review by Edmond Malin

Have you ever felt frustrated by people’s expectations? Are you a career woman, sick and tired of men reminding you to smile? Do you dread your seemingly manipulative parents? If so, let “Horse” take you on a healing ride.
Meg (the prepossessing Rachael Schefrin) and Sam (the tried and true Peter Collier) are college best friends who are in business to develop exciting new products. As our story opens, the spacious set in the Flamboyan Theatre is full of obstacles to Meg’s sanity. Passersby accost her on her way to the office; this is all exquisitely choreographed by Gus Solomons, Jr. In this rat racified world, perhaps we can understand why Meg puts herself through the unnatural ritual of telling her reflection, “Meg is professional” and fixing her smile so she does not give anyone reason to call her a “bitch”. In the office, Meg and Sam sort through proposals from entrepreneurs. The market for eco-friendly maxi-pads is saturated, we are told. But don’t lose hope, for Eckart the Norwegian inventor (the windswept Linus Ignatius) has a great idea for a line of Life Care Products. This wild gentleman is in the neighborhood, so soon they are working on a strategy for his products. Eckart is not a scientist. He is a painter, whose work, seen later in the play, involves humans turning into animals and vice versa. Like some fabulously attractive Dr. Moreau, I thought. Maybe he’s a furry, muses Sam. When asked how he created his formula, he tells a story about catching a falling feather and watching his sister transform into a bird. Eckart has also looked at Meg’s hands and asked her if she plays the Welsh harp.

At a family gathering, we also meet Kristin (the red-hot Tatyana Kot), who is Eckart current business partner and former wife. Why did this couple change its arrangement? Why is Kristin now with Andor (the quite manly Demetrius Blocker)? If Eckart is also using his own product, is there a separate one for men? The riddle of the Scandinavian lotion—if there is a solution, mind you—is one I will let you enjoy when you see the show. It may make you change your mind about the bizarre things your parents tell you.
“Horse” has a lot that will inspire you. After seeing it, you may want to grab your dancing shoes, or maybe the Mabinogion (that red book of myths that Tolkien liked so much). Young man young man, what do you wanna be? you might ask your mirror. Dialect Coach Page Clements gives us believable Welsh and Norwegian characters. Costume Designer Janet Mervin helps dress the characters according to their inner selves. Janet Bentley leads her adventurous cast right through the eye of the storm of self-perception, crossing eons in the process. But you wouldn’t want to ignore your potential, would you?