“For Want of a Horse”

The phrase “for want of a horse” is most commonly attributed to Benjamin Franklin’s Poor Richard’s Almanack from 1758, describing the cascading effect of how the absence of one small, necessary thing can affect many other, bigger things. The example of Richard III comes to mind, ready at the end to sell England for the low, low price of any old nag there on Bosworth Field. But Olivia Dufault is using a different definition of that phrase in her play, For Want of a Horse – it’s about a man who has sexual desire for his horse, and to some degree, about zoophilia in general. While this material is controversial, The Echo Theater Company delivers an outstanding and darkly funny world premiere production that features some amazing performances.

Calvin (Joey Stromberg) has been sexually attracted to horses since he was a child but has never acted upon it in real life. His wife Bonnie (Jenny Soo), who often describes herself as progressive and open-minded, suggests that he should buy a horse, thinking it will help him with his neuroses. He purchases an Arabian horse named Q-Tip (Griffin Kelly) but is initially unsure of what he should do in this situation. His friend PJ (Steven Culp), who thinks zoophiles should be open and proud of themselves (and is in a “relationship” with his dog), encourages him to consummate his lust for Q-Tip. Calvin moves ahead and is happy with his new life, but he is anxious when Bonnie says that she wants to watch him and Q-Tip to make sure that she’s really okay with it.

Stromberg does a good job of making cautiousness Calvin’s main characteristic, as a person whose entire life has been spent worrying that his illegal desires will be exposed to the world. Soo excels as Bonnie, who learns throughout the story that perhaps she isn’t as limitlessly liberal as she initially perceived herself. Culp is excellent and fearless as PJ, playing the character’s humanity instead of reducing him to an easy target of mockery or disgust. It’s a brave performance in the best sense of the word, and he’s also very funny. Finally, Kelly is amazing as Q-Tip, not only successfully representing equine mannerisms but also somehow creating the sense of herself as a large, powerful animal simply through her remarkable performance. It’s one of the most striking and effective portrayals I’ve seen this year, but I imagine she won’t want to see another apple for a while after this show is over.

Director Elana Luo gets detailed, superb work from her cast, and her pacing is fleet. There’s a theatrical flourish at the show’s conclusion that is undeniably memorable, but I don’t think it was strictly necessary. Dufault’s writing is impressively humorous (“What the fuck does Henry know? Henry’s in love with a ferret!”), using/defusing the audience’s natural discomfort with the subject matter to provoke laughter, as in a speech in which PJ defends his dog licking peanut butter off PJ’s genitals as “consensual.”

I don’t feel that this play is interested in either promoting or condemning zoophilia (although the subject of animals being unable to provide consent is pointedly discussed) – it’s just observing an unusual situation with empathy for all. To say that For Want of a Horse is not going to be a show for everyone is an understatement, but it’s a terrific production in every respect. Kudos to Echo Theater Company for swinging for the fences and being willing to take big artistic risks in a time when that is especially difficult.

For Want of a Horse is presented by The Echo Theater Company at Atwater Village Theatre and plays through May 25, 2026. Tickets are available at https://www.echotheatercompany.com/