Equus

What does the public know about Equus? Going into the play, I had no real idea what I was in for. Every interview or "review" I'd read, doted on the young, male actor that had the very risky stage role, featuring full nudity. It was suggested I see it on Broadway for its limited engagement - which I just happened to be in NYC during, so I went.

Admittedly, I was one to joke about the idea of stage nudity, and all I could tell anyone about the play was; it's about a crazy boy, that blinds a bunch of horses – as that is all the knowledge I'd obtained from any press I'd found. I left with a head full of ideas about society, that emphasize my admiration of the clinically insane, which I can share with you now.



Summary
As I mentioned, the only part of the actual story I'd heard was about a boy who blinded some horses – nothing about the psychiatrist that, I felt, was the primary character in the story.

Dr. Martin Dysart starts off the play wishing he'd never met young Alan Strang, discussing a small part of the boys obsession with a horse called "Nugget." You're given the impression this boy effects Dr. Dysart in a different way than the usual child schizophrenics.

The story then rewinds to an earlier time, when 17 year old Alan Strang was introduced to Dr. Dysart by Magistrate Hesther Saloman, who had tried the case where Alan had blinded 6 horses for seemingly no reason. Alan enters the stage, unwilling to speak, he sings commercial jingles in the form of communication. The dialog is amazing, especially between the Doctor and Alan, very satirical. It's something to actually hear – not read.

Alan and the Doctor bond somewhat, and the story unfolds flawlessly. I won't explain it all, but I will explain the two major themes I sensed.

Alan Strang

Basically, Alan was poorly educated, barely able to read, and very sheltered - living off his amazing imagination. Alans mother was a teacher, and did her best to teach him at least a few things at home, but didn't seem to mind he wasn't learning things at school. Alan loved the Bible and horses the most, and sucked up all the information on those subjects he could. While, his father had a tendency to be overly critical almost to the point of unloving.

Alan's attachment to the horses comes in the form of his own religion, fashioned by combining the concept of Jesus suffering for the people, and man becoming one with horses from childrens books read to him. He views the horses bridal bit as a restraining, abusing chain, and their ability, yet unwillingness to stamp out human beings as ultimate love. His desire to become one with the horses has him secretly riding late at night in the nude as a ritual, allowing him to meet his “Gods” as it were.

(Spoiler)

Alan himself is harmless, his attack on the horses comes from a bad situation. The girl in the story, Jill, is attracted to Alan, or at least his quirks with horses. She pressures him into going on a date, where the sexual energy rises quickly. Alan has a dilemma which he doesn't fully understand - he is a boy with physical desires, and he'd discovered other males have the same. However, Alan feels too guilty betraying his horse Gods, which he calls “Equus”, and loses control before anything officially happens. Having hid out in the stable for their sexual adventure, the horses had seen his sin, so his solution is to blind all of them violently with a spike.

Doctor Dysart

The Doctors moral dilemma is recognized early on, as he explains a dream he has; a dream where he is an important figurehead in a ritualistic society, where he cuts out the hearts of children for sacrifice. He also has an amazing monologue, where he explains to Magistrate Saloman that he never touches his wife, and he has no connection to true happiness or any Gods of his own. He has his work, which he is good at, but nothing else to look forward to in his life – he suggests the boy would have been happy if left alone to have his rituals, because he visits his Gods on a regular basis, and is more free than “normal” people.

By the end of the play, having deciding to “Fix” young Alan, his guilt is overwhelming. The final monologue is his explanation that these people, like Alan, won't ever fully fit in with society – that, these kids lose a major part of their individuality, when they are “cured”, they become dead inside – and to do that to a child, would be the same as cutting out their heart for ritual sacrifice to the “real world.”

I'd say, to summarize in a sentence; The story itself, is about the tragedy of psychiatric drugs and treatments.

The Venue and Production

The stage in this case was very simple. I've seen things like Phantom of the opera, and Wicked, with elaborate sets, costumes, and musical numbers. This, was nothing like that. There was a round stage, 6 half doors to represent stables, and four rectangular blocks used as props. The only costume change was from clothed to nude, and the horses themselves were men clad in brown, with wireframe hooves and wireframe masks with glowing eyes.

To see a production this small, work so well, was amazing. I was impressed how all of the setting changes were done using different colored and shaped lights, instead of elaborate props. The Broadhurst itself only seats about 140 people, which is about half the available seats in any other theater I've been in.

The fame and popularity

Richard Griffiths delivered amazing monologues, if not for him, and his ability to make this work – Equus wouldn't have been anything at all. His ability to bring Dr. Dysart to the stage, fighting and bonding with Alan Strang, was flawless. Not enough press has covered his role by a long shot, so I'm here to tell you, he's the main character.

While I may not agree with the sole publicity of this play being on Daniel Radcliffe, he did an amazing job breathing life into Alan Strang. He was wholly convincing, to the point that he was almost unrecognizable. Every line worked wonderfully, and even with a minor issue with some stage wires, he did a wonderful job bringing Equus to Broadway.

(I had several paragraphs for the rest of the cast, which were amazing, that I trimmed for length. I am very sorry for that, but know, they were all brilliant.)

The morons

Americans have the reputation of being generally rude. In this case, I had two people sitting near me in the balcony, who spent the entire intermission complaining about how boring plays are. I believe the exact words in this case were, “we came here to see some naked Harry Potter, and we have to keep listening to this guy talk. I'm gonna fall asleep, wake me up when it gets good.”

Outside the front doors, people lined up to attempt to get the autographs of any of the stars that happened to run by. Of all the insults I can imagine with Daniel Radcliffe signing autographs, would be for someone to have a stack of Harry Potter pictures outside the production of Equus. I don't imagine this seems like a very big deal, but I feel the need to apologize for the starstruck fans' manners.

If given the opportunity, go see Equus, no matter who is part of the cast. I would call it a point of view changing experience.



I fully support the production of this play, with an overpriced tee shirt and a stupid smile.

Now, imagine me, only fitting in with upper class New York at the Broadhurst Theater.

**apologies for the length, and lack of pictures, as they weren't allowed. I didn't want to steal internet photos this time, so you just get me and the sign outside the Broadhurst.