Equus

I have always appreciated Equus as a complex and disturbing meditation on passion. I've seen a few productions of it, including a strong production at the Stratford Festival with Brian Bedford as Martin Dysart. Saturday evening I had the opportunity to see the excellent production currently on Broadway with Dan Radcliffe as Alan Strand and Richard Griffiths as Dysart. Radcliffe and Griffiths anchor a fine cast in a compelling production.

Equus is a stylized play that is generally given a stylized production, including this one. The actors portraying the horses have the stylized horse heads and hoofs of most productions, but they also have uncharacteristically hot bodies. The opening image of Alan embracing the horse Nugget has a homoeroticism that is often left unstated.

The word on Radcliffe is absolutely accurate. He more than holds his own in a role that challenges even the best actors. His Alan is a troubled young man who has committed an unspeakable act, but he engages us.


Griffiths, too, creates an indelible portrait of a man who is changed by and ultimately envious of Alan. Griffiths portrait is interesting in that it takes a natural, understated approach. Sometimes it feels a little out of place among a cast delivering very stylized performances. But in the end, it's extraordinarily effective to have a human Dysart.

The rest of the cast are strong. Kate Mulgrew and Carolyn McCormick have particularly powerful moments. MoCormick has a particularly difficult task on the stage, since much of the blame for Alan's actions falls on her. It to McCormick's credit that we anger, pity and feel for Dora Strang.

The production is not unlike other productions of Equus, but there are a few revelatory moments. The moment in which Radcliffe blinds the horses is a choreographed melange of sound and image that left me breathless.

Some have argued that the play is dated. If taken as a literal commentary of psychiatry and the justice system, perhaps so. But I don't think the play has ever worked on that level. Even as it tries to root out the reasons for Alan's actions, the more interesting study is the effect that Alan has on Dysart. And on that, this production of Equus shines.