Theatre Review | “For Love of a Horse” at Echo Theater Company

Griffin Kelly in “For Love of a Horse” at Echo Theater Company (Photo – Cooper Bates)

Atwater Village Theatre is a rental house comprised of four small theaters. Five companies are in residence. With the variables among the five companies, as well as occasional guest companies, it might be assumed that there is an element of hit-or-miss in the independent productions offered there, but I truly have yet to see a “miss.” The hit this time is For Love of a Horse, written by trans playwright, screenwriter, and comic book writer Olivia Dufault and directed by Elana Luo, associate artistic director at Echo Theater Company.

By Carol Germain

A wide range of emotions is on display in this story about lovers and spouses entwined with the complexities involved when one partner also has a zoophilia fixation, i.e., a compulsive desire for sexual contact in various ways with animals, in this case, specifically a horse. Calvin (Joey Stromborg) loves Bonnie (Jennie Soo), but also is compelled to include a third party in the sexual aspect of his life with her: a horse named Q-Tip (played by Griffin Kelly), with whom he is involved. Calvin’s best friend, PJ (Steven Culp), has lost his human love over similar desires and commiserates with Calvin, advising him on his options for making the human-human-horse threesome work for all involved.

The play has been accurately described as “darkly comic” yet “deeply human,” and the audience rides the rollercoaster of those emotions as the characters explore their desires and options. [Note: content warning from the theater: “addresses mature sexual themes in an explicit (although non-graphic) manner and is recommended for ages 18 and up.”] There is also much visual humor because of the unique subject matter and the human/horse interaction. (Griffin Kelly is amazing in her role as the horse and is physically perfect for it because of her height, ability to neigh and snort, and make “horse faces.”) Although much audience laughter was evoked by the interactions and complications presented by the unusual relationship factors, the actors were not literally being comedians (well, maybe appropriately in a few scenes). It was steady human drama with a very unusual twist. The seriousness of the characters evoked the audience’s laughter because of the subject matter, and although that made for a unique atmosphere and interaction, it worked perfectly.

As each character’s situation evolved and reached its conclusion, the steady pace and emotional expression maintained the seriousness of the dilemma. A unique experience, for certain: much laughter from the audience and a steady undercurrent of seriousness from the characters. I can’t compare it to any live theater event I’ve ever seen. And…I will not spoil the ending, but it is amazingly and touchingly perfect. Don’t miss this one!

For Love of a Horse
Through May 25
Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays at 8:00 pm 
Sundays at 4:00 pm
Echo Theater Company
Atwater Village Theatre
3269 Casitas Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90039
Tickets: EchoTheaterCompany.com (747) 350 - 8066

Jenny Soo, Joey Stromberg, Griffin Kelly (Photo – Cooper Bates)