Joanna Christie has been cast in the new West End production of
Equus, according to a report in
The Daily Mail. Christie will star opposite previously reported stars Daniel Radcliffe and Richard Griffiths in Peter Shaffer’s powerful drama, directed by Thea Sharrock.
Christie will play the role of stable girl Jill Mason. She recently graduated from Mountview Theatre School (where The Sound of Music star Connie Fisher also trained) and has recently returned from travelling around India for a year with a theatrical troupe. According to The Daily Mail, Christie was selected for the part after 308 young actresses were auditioned. She was recalled four times to test with Radcliffe and finally won the role, according to producer David Pugh, because of “the chemistry between them.” He added, “She was the one Daniel fancied the most, and that swung it for us.”
Also now announced for the company is Jenny Agutter, who played the role of Jill in the Sidney Lumet-directed 1977 film version of the play that starred Peter Firth in Radcliffe’s role of Alan Strang, a young man whose passion for his horses leads him to blind them. Agutter will play a magistrate in the new production.
Equus opens at the Gielgud Theatre on 27 February (following previews from 16 February).