«Equus» by Peter Shaffer, directed by Carlo Sciaccaluga: Tuesday, December 15 to Saturday, December 19, 2026

From December 15 to 19, 2026, Teatro Valle (at Via del Teatro Valle 21) hosts Peter Shaffer's «Equus», directed by Carlo Sciaccaluga. There are five performances, from Tuesday, December 15 to Saturday, December 19.

Updated November 6, 2026.

The event

Fifty years after the celebrated staging directed by Marco Sciaccaluga, «Equus» returns to Italian stages with a new production directed by Carlo Sciaccaluga: a fresh look at one of the masterpieces of contemporary drama, which still has the power to question its audience.

Written by Peter Shaffer in 1973, the play tells the story of Alan Strang, a seventeen-year-old who has committed a violent and incomprehensible act: he has blinded six horses. The psychiatrist Martin Dysart sets out to find the reasons and, in trying to enter the boy's mind, comes face to face with a universe of desire, passion, mysticism and obsession, until he questions his own certainties and the very meaning of normality.

Equine masks, bodies that evoke a gallop and a set suspended between dream and nightmare shape a visual and sensory experience in which the boundaries between reality and delirium grow uncertain. The translation is by Marco Sciaccaluga and Carlo Sciaccaluga; on stage are Luca Lazzareschi, Pietro Giannini, Paolo Cresta, Pia Lanciotti, Camilla Semino Favro, Giulia Prevedello and Michele De Paola. Sets and costumes are by Anna Varaldo, lighting by Aldo Mantovani; the production is by Teatro Nazionale di Genova. The show is in Italian and runs 2 hours and 45 minutes, intermission included.

Where it takes place: Teatro Valle

On May 9, 1921, the Roman audience greeted Pirandello's «Six Characters in Search of an Author» with whistles in this very hall. The Valle has returned to regular programming with the Teatro di Roma 2026-2027 season. For the area: Caffè Sant'Eustachio and Palazzo Madama.

Practical information

• Dates: December 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19, 2026.
• Venue: Teatro Valle, Via del Teatro Valle 21, 00186 Roma.
• Language: Italian.
• Running time: 2 hours and 45 minutes, intermission included.
• Ticket prices at Teatro Valle: orchestra armchairs 44 euros (reduced 35); boxes, stalls, first and second tier 35 euros (reduced 30); boxes on the third and fourth tier 26 euros (reduced 20).
• Purchase: online through the Teatro di Roma channel or at the Teatro Argentina box office (Largo di Torre Argentina 52).
• Getting there: use the ATAC route planner.

Frequently asked questions about «Equus» by Peter Shaffer, directed by Carlo Sciaccaluga

What is «Equus» about?

Alan Strang, a seventeen-year-old who has blinded six horses, and the psychiatrist who tries to understand why.

How long is the show?

2 hours and 45 minutes, with an intermission.

Who directs?

Carlo Sciaccaluga, fifty years after Marco Sciaccaluga's staging.

Article written by the editorial team of Tour Leader Pro, contact them for Private/Corporate/V.I.P. Tours and Experiences.

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