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| SnitchSeeker Product Reviews You'll find all the latest non-Potter reviews here, ranging from films, DVDs, merchandise and more. |
09-25-2008, 09:09 PM
| | Exclusive: SnitchSeeker Equus review
This past Saturday, September 20th, I had the chance to watch the 2:00PM preview performance of Equus at the Broadhurst Theatre in New York City.
A brief synopsis of Equus: Quote: Equus is a story of a troubled young man, Alan Strang (played by Daniel Radcliffe), committed to be psychologically treated by Dr. Martin Dysart (Richard Griffiths), at the behest of a court magistrate, Hesther Saloman (Kate Mulgrew). Alan is caught blinding six of his employer's horses, thus the story is encapsulated by Dysart's need to figure out what triggered Alan to commit such a horrific crime (something Dysart eagerly takes on from its challenge-filled perspective). The play becomes a breakdown of Alan's character, from his love of horses at a young age to his reverence-borderline-obsession over them as a teenager. The pressures of his hypocritical parents, constraining religion, conformative society, and the need to find his own person eventually make something snap inside of Alan, the results of which leave him feeling shame and guilt for his sins.
My review of the play: Quote:
I must first say: it's really nice to see that Dan Radcliffe actually can act (I’m in the group of people who feels his portrayal of Harry Potter has always been a bit stoic and stony). At one point I leaned over and whispered to my friend, "Why can't he do that in Harry Potter?" She nodded back, fully aware of how brilliant his performance was.
Which it was. Dan was easily the heart and soul of the production, and not because he's Daniel Radcliffe, star of the Harry Potter films. If anyone has ever noticed how hyper and jittery he is all the time, imagine Dan putting that into a performance that requires him to run around whilst shouting abuse and complaints at a very comparatively subdued and wry Richard Griffiths (also very good, and hilarious to boot). There really was such a rawness to his Alan Strang that it was mesmerising at some points; you couldn't help but to be taken aback by how much he got into the character, and how beautifully and almost flawlessly he brought someone as tormented, hesitant-to-spill-the-beans, angry, worried, and mentally unstable as Alan to life.
The drawback with having stage seats is that you do miss some of the facial expressions when the actors are talking towards the theatre audience (as they're sitting opposite the stage seats). However, given that you can actually hear the emotions they're trying to convey through their tones of voice whilst speaking, it really does not hinder the play-watching experience (plus, if anyone has seen Equus' numerous promotional images, it gives an idea of what the scenes look like from the other side, anyway, which was somewhat advantageous). There are some scenes where the actors, especially Dan, turn their backs on the audience, so the few of us occupying stage seats sort of received an extra gift (since our seats were about 10 feet above the actual stage, the level of intimacy we felt being so close was nothing that anyone in the theatre seats could understand - though I might be somewhat biased there).
There are a couple of memorable scenes that only the stage seat occupiers could see, having a bird's-eye aerial view of the play. When Dan's Alan was miming flogging himself with a hanger as a means of repentance, you might perhaps think that since very few people would be able to see his facial expressions from the back he wouldn't try as hard - or he'd relax a bit - but he doesn't, at all. You could see the intensity; you could see how much he got into the character and the pain and anguish he feels for the sins he believes he has committed. Eyes clenched shut and face showing a guilt-ridden façade of despair, it could be seen that Dan was truly feeling his character’s pain. There is another particular bit where he's staring up at one of the horses (Nugget, the only one Alan really got intimate with), where his eyes are so wide with awe and adoration that it's actually quite unnerving to look into them, as their utter brilliance whilst lovingly gazing at another figure becomes almost hypnotic.
There are some points, too, where Dan's lying down in a fetal-position on one of the boxes used as props and furniture because he's not required for the scene, so he has his back to the theatre side of the audience. From the stage seats, you get to see his facial expressions, which was sometimes hilarious and so distracting that you lose track with what was going on around him. The other actors are on stage saying their lines and doing their scenes, and you're drawn to Dan just lying there, completely zoned out from everything but the performances around him, while he's scratching his face, yawning, and picking at his nails (which he chewed and spat out a few times, too). I think because we got to see him out of character all those times, it threw us off from Alan and we remembered it is just Dan, so that got a bit troublesome at times when he would get up abruptly and do his scenes. Dan has immense stamina, I have to say (and he does perfect dismounts off the blocks when they're placed in their highest position, causing his feet to be about four feet from the ground and requiring him to jump off, which he did with shocking ease - you see where the gymnastics he learned over the years comes into play).
In addition to Dan’s admirable portrayal, I have to say that Richard Griffith's Dr. Dysart was the perfect compliment to Dan's Alan. With Dysart you get someone who is very guarded about his personal life (and it shows), but he's so calm and collected compared to the wiry insanity that Alan brings with him (where he might be staring intently at his prey or shouting his head off at them), that it works so well. That's something I did notice with the play: there were characters who worked off each other well because of their differences, and that they kind of meshed well together like jigsaw pieces (with Alan and Dysart; Dysart and Hester, definitely, where he sometimes played the annoying, pestilential brat to her rigid, well put-together, authoritarian figure; Alan's parents, Dora and Frank; and Alan and Jill [the stable co-worker whom he dates]: he's utterly reserved and afraid of showing his true colours; and when he expresses a bit of his true self, especially in regards to his fondness of the horses, she sits back and laughs in his face about it because she's just a very easy-going girl who wants to have fun). It's a play of complimentary characters trying to figure themselves out by finding those missing pieces that makes everything understandable and complete, and it's done very well by the actors (though Jill's supposed 'Irish' accent left more to be desired).
The horses and the actors who play them are phenomenal. After Dan's Alan, they really are the second-most interesting characters in the play, by far. You're left in awe at how well those six actors got up and played the parts (there was an incredibly amount of choreography put into it; at the very end, where Alan blinds the horses, it does become a bit of a dance, where he's running about trying to attack them; the grace and elegance with which they shake in pain and horror is magnificent – the only problem is that the climactic scene ends so quickly). The actors embrace their equine characters so flawlessly that the audience can actually forget they are six men wearing metal horse-shaped masks; all that can be seen is the bond shared between a young boy and the animals he loves so dearly.
Equus opens tonight at the Broadhurst Theatre on Broadway. |
09-26-2008, 11:41 AM
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#26 (permalink)
| Puffskein
Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Kent
Posts: 1,284
Hogwarts RPG Name: unsorted | Emma Enthusiast v good review though i was laughing a lot at his delicacy of mentioning certain details!having seen the play i too was blown away by dan's acting..and it's really good!
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Emma Watson
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09-26-2008, 12:01 PM
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#27 (permalink)
| Puffskein
Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Denmark.
Posts: 1,630
Hogwarts RPG Name: Ashley Noir Fifth Year |
God, I wish I could go see it! But I can't ):
Thanks for the sharing!
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09-26-2008, 12:10 PM
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#28 (permalink)
| Puffskein
Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Grimmauld Place #12
Posts: 1,294
| "Ah, music. A magic beyond all we do here!"-AD ♫ -Nitwit, blubber, oddment, tweak-
absolutely wonderful review!!!
I want to go!!!
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09-26-2008, 01:33 PM
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#29 (permalink)
| Puffskein
Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 1,076
Hogwarts RPG Name: Aurora Dahlia Pennant |
That was A Great Review...
Im So Excited! Im Definately Making it A Goal Of Mine to Go To NY and See a Showing!
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09-26-2008, 01:43 PM
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#30 (permalink)
| Erkling
Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Snowball Fight
Posts: 20,711
| Harry ♥ Ginny || Ron ♥ Mione - - Neville's Bravery || Luna's Laughter
That was a very good review, thank you so much for sharing it with us. I definitely want to go see it more now.
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09-26-2008, 02:34 PM
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#31 (permalink)
| Jarvey
Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: With The Fairies...
Posts: 619
Hogwarts RPG Name: Phoenix Elizabeth Talisman Third Year |
I would love to go see it, but missed the chance when it was here in the UK *sniffs*. Hopefully it will come back again and I'll be able to see it. Great review!
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09-26-2008, 05:46 PM
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#32 (permalink)
| Mrs. Dan Radcliffe Firecrab
Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Ravenclaw House
Posts: 850
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I loved your review! Nice choice of words and a very good description!
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09-26-2008, 07:21 PM
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#33 (permalink)
| Bundimun
Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Hogwarts Library
Posts: 27
Hogwarts RPG Name: Helena Eyre Fifth Year |
oh WHY can't i go?!?! oh yeah because i don't have any money. > |
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09-26-2008, 08:02 PM
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#34 (permalink)
| Dugbog
Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Texas
Posts: 128
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Thanks for posting the great review!
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09-26-2008, 08:32 PM
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#35 (permalink)
| Mackled Malaclaw
Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: (CDT) GMT-5
Posts: 11,371
Hogwarts RPG Name: Asher Stinson Second Year Ministry RPG Name:
Zoe Ladasha Ministry Specialty Area |
Great review. I would like to see this.
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09-28-2008, 06:15 PM
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#36 (permalink)
| !!!!Awesome!!!! Jobberknoll
Join Date: May 2004 Location: in Howarts offcourse
Posts: 4,130
Hogwarts RPG Name: Mari Elizabeth Allen Fourth Year |
wow this is amazing!!
__________________ Life is short, enjoy it |
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10-02-2008, 08:41 AM
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#37 (permalink)
| Firecrab
Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Melbourne,Australia
Posts: 731
Hogwarts RPG Name: Zara Granger- 1st Cousin of Hermione Granger Fourth Year |
I think Dan does a fantastic job playing Harry, I don't see how he plays him "stoic and stony", but I guess everyone see's differently. Go Dan
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10-08-2008, 10:30 PM
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#38 (permalink)
| Firecrab
Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: on stage
Posts: 940
| Neville's Heart Everything is Magi-cool
Great review! I saw Equus, and afterwards I was able to get Richard and Daniel's autographs!!!!!!!! It was officially the best day of my life.
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10-10-2008, 12:03 AM
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#39 (permalink)
| Murtlap
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 56
Graduated Ministry RPG Name:
Cornelius Copernicus Minister's Office |
this seem like a good play.thanks for the review
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10-12-2008, 01:27 AM
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#40 (permalink)
| George's Ear Jarvey
Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Southampton/England
Posts: 562
Hogwarts RPG Name: Narisa Carter First Year |
Cool! Maybe I'll watch it one day.
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10-19-2008, 08:44 PM
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#41 (permalink)
| Moke
Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: NY
Posts: 8,991
Hogwarts RPG Name: Rebecca AnnaMarie Latrowski Fifth Year Ministry RPG Name:
Melina Papadakis-Moretti | I like to emphasize~Mecca~ScoobieDoo~M O L L Y~Dori~MummyAlice~Beckers the ALIEN
Nice Review! Maybe I'll see it 1 day.
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10-29-2008, 03:06 AM
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#42 (permalink)
| Guest |
hmmm... excellent review. made it sound very enticing!
will Equus be coming to Canada anytime soon???? haha
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11-04-2008, 10:21 AM
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#43 (permalink)
| Guest |
good sharing
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11-05-2008, 04:20 PM
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#44 (permalink)
| Murtlap
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 56
Graduated Ministry RPG Name:
Cornelius Copernicus Minister's Office |
nice review
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11-12-2008, 07:10 PM
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#45 (permalink)
| Guest | Right On
I joined this site just so I could say that your synopsis and review of Equus were right on! I saw Equus Halloween weekend in NYC with my 15 year old daughter from the "on stage" seating and we were blown away. Dan is an amazing actor and if we have the chance we will see Equus again.
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11-16-2008, 02:26 PM
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#46 (permalink)
| Flobberworm
Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Under Your Bed
Posts: 17
Hogwarts RPG Name: Charlotte Jamie Harper Fourth Year |
Thats an amasingly good review!
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11-28-2008, 11:12 PM
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#47 (permalink)
| Puffskein
Join Date: May 2006 Location: out with the cullens
Posts: 2,344
| Awesome
wow! that was a great review.
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11-30-2008, 08:00 PM
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#48 (permalink)
| Murtlap
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 56
Graduated Ministry RPG Name:
Cornelius Copernicus Minister's Office |
good review
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12-24-2008, 05:50 PM
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#49 (permalink)
| Lobalug
Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Virginia, USA
Posts: 189
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I want to see the play really badly! Thank you so much for the review!
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06-16-2009, 06:51 AM
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#50 (permalink)
| Dugbog
Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Texas
Posts: 128
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I actually got to see the show the week before it closed. I also had stage seating and it was exactly how you described it. The cast was amazing and Daniel Radcliffe was superb. Thank you again for your wonderful review. Would it be alright if I linked this to my my blog?
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