Mathoms, etc.

crowd outside stage door
crowd across the street
I wasn't sure how I would like the story of a troubled stable hand who blinded 6 horses. But I had to see the Equus revival simply because Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe is making his Broadway debut. And what a stunning debut! I've always thought Mr. Radcliffe is a smart, handsome, funny young man. After seeing Peter Shaffer's Tony Award-winning play, I'm convinced his controversial decision to play Alan Strang has been a wise one. Apart from the initial thrill of seeing him walk onstage, I got so involved in the plot that I immediately forgot I was watching Harry Potter's alter-ego. I felt like a proud mother seeing her son all grown up, proving his acting mettle and taking the Great White Way by storm. Even the much-ballyhooed nude scene had lost its titillation factor because at that point, I was so drawn into the plight of this poor boy. Mr. Radcliffe's performance moved me and my sisters to tears.

And let's not forget his HP co-star, Richard Griffiths in a triumphant return to Broadway. He reprises his West End role as Martin Dysart, the psychiatrist trying to help the disturbed teen. He is forced to confront his own problems and question his life, his profession. Mr. Griffiths and Daniel are onstage the whole time. It was wonderful to see the chemistry and mutual respect between these two co-stars.

Equus is one of the most intense, thought-provoking, disturbing theatre experiences I've ever had. The playwright managed to make it funny at various times. To me, it is less about the stableboy's sexual attraction to horses and more about religion and the hypocrisy surrounding it, the all-too-human search for a power higher than ourselves, our search for purpose and passion in our own lives.

And although we didn't get to see the cast at the stagedoor (you can see how huge the crowd was), it was still a wonderful evening at the theatre. I saw the back of Richard Griffiths' head when he entered the car (Thank goodness I already have his photo and autograph from when he did The History Boys.) We just forlornly waved at Dan's car as he drove away.