For the first time in six years, the Artistic Director at the Almeida has invited an outside company to perform there. The explanation for this is that the Almeida has a long list of home grown projects awaiting production but an exception was made for the British Premiere of the Abbey Theatre Dublin’s production of Sam Shepard’s play starring the Irish actor Stephen Rea.

From a European perspective, my first impression was that Sam Shepard has written a play that is in part a homage to Samuel Becket. The hole and the mounds of earth immediately reminded me of Happy Days except that the central character here is not brimming over with hope but with reflection on his life. Like Winnie, Hobart is stuck there with only himself to converse with, but whereas Winnie has an ever present optimism, Hobart seems largely despondent. The journey that Hobart Struther is making in response to the "empty nest" is a kind of return to basics, to a simpler way of living in order to recapture the American Dream but he falls at the first fence when the horse chokes and dies. Is the message here that we do not get another chance? There is a moment when he pauses to admire the pioneers and what they went through to establish themselves in a new life. He talks about trying to regain "the sense of being inside his own skin". Does he feel his life has taken a direction over which he has no control, does he have a sense of inner alienation of being at odds with himself. Certainly his conversation which at times sounded like a married couple bickering, arguing is full of self questioning.

I have a feeling that Shepard’s latest play is a slow burn and that its impact will grow with time as we the audience have time to consider and reflect on it and work out the myriad metaphors. There were two moments when Hobart showed immense compassion. He talks about not allowing the body of the horse to be eaten as carrion, to lie there unburied and he puts great effort into trying to bury him. Later too when he tells us about how Crazy Horse, a legendary Native American chief, was bayoneted to death after having been promised his freedom. Hobert Struther is a character we can relate to, someone we can like.

An interesting deviation with the bare text. The girl who climbs out of the hole, unseen by him, to return to Hobart his hat was wearing a petticoat with straps whereas the text says she should be naked except for the cowboy hat. I think if she had been naked, his missing her would have been felt more strongly by the audience!

I can help Les Gutman with the credits for the makers of the very realistic horse: Sculptors: Padraig McGoran and John O’Connor, Mechanism: Shadow Creations, Assistants: Tony Doody, Rory Doyle, Model Maker Mike McDuff. The horse was impressive, yes, but limited by its dead state whereas the "living" horses for the London showing of Warhorse are state of the art. —Lizzie Loverdige

London Production Notes for Kicking a Dead Horse
Cast: Joanne Crawford and Stephen Rea
Set Design: Brien Vahey
Costume Design: Joan Bergin
Lighting Design: John Comiskey
Sound Design: Dan Moses Schreier
Running Time: I hour ten minutes without an interval
An Abbey Theatre (Ireland)Production in association with The Public Theatre New York
Sponsored by Coutts and Co and as Travel Partner, American Airlines
Box Office: 020 7359 4404
Booking to 20th September 2008
Reviewed by Lizzie Loveridge on 10th September 2008 performance at the Almeida, Almeida Street, London N1 (Tube: Angel Islington)