Dan in Equus Reviews

The first review comes from the Sun Online

"DANIEL RADCLIFFE conjured up a remarkable magic trick last night — by stripping off he made Harry Potter disappear.

"His West End performance as a psychiatric patient in Equus was so engrossing you could forget he is the boy wizard.

Daniel plays Alan Strang, a 17-year-old who blinds six horses, in this 1970s play by Peter Shaffer. It examines a psychiatrist’s attempts to cure him.

After revealing Strang’s inner demons, Radcliffe strips totally bare for a roll in the wa-hay with blonde actress JOANNA CHRISTIE.

As well as showing London theatre-goers a back-side they hadn’t seen, Radcliffe skilfully displayed anger, wit and energy. He smoked and even uttered the F-word.

The best lines — and the laughs — came from his Potter co-star Richard Griffiths, as sychiatrist Martin Dysart.

But this play could be remembered for launching Radcliffe as one of Britain’s great actors."

Page from Dr.uk was one of the lucky fans who witnessed Dan performing for the first time in theater, and this is what she has to say about Dan's performance:

"I've just returned from what can only be described as an amazing evening. I had the pleasure of previewing EQUUS and Dan's performance left me literally speechless. To say the least, his portrayal of Alan Strang, along with Richard Griffiths as Psychiatrist, Martin Dysart, was an intense and powerful emotional experience. I can't wait to share the finer details with you, however, I would like a few days to allow the experience to sink in so that I can do the play justice and I will be seeing the play again from a different angle tomorrow. I will share with you now, that Dan received a tremendous standing ovation which was truly well deserved and would be personally shocked if anyone seeing the play considered Dan's performance anything less than stellar."

UK theatre blog

FIRST REVIEW OF DAN IN EQUUS

I went to this with a sense of trepidation. I am not a fan of Peter Shaffer (especially after the terrible revival of Royal Hunt at the NT last year). I certainly am no advocator of the Daniel Radcliffe fan-base either (can the boy actually act?). Richard Griffiths usually leaves me cold too.

What I have experienced this evening is everything that is right about theatre. A stunningly relevant and modern text is illuminated by an intense and visceral staging. The performances are outstanding and Richard Griffiths deserves the highest accolade for his performance: He is the most exquisite actor and his narration drew me into the play from the outset.

Daniel Radcliffe gives an assured stage debut. I appreciate this was his first night onstage in front of a full house. He performed admirably. Considering he is only 17, there were no signs of any nerves. He captured the frustration and angst of his role accurately. I think we will see much to come from this young man.

The rest of the cast all offer excellent support: in particular the roles of the mother and father were notable. Staging was always going to be the tough one. The genius of John Napier has not faded. I must point out I was sitting on a "stage" seat (these are situated above the back of the stage, behind the actors). This unique vantage point did take some getting used to, but the unique position affords an unprecendented view of the action (and of a naked Daniel Radcliffe!). There are some problems with the audibility of the dialogue at a few point and the lighting is somewhat noisy, but this is a small price to pay for the experience.

The set itself is simplicity redesigned. Four boxes and an elevated platform serve as all. The lighting adds the rest. Mention must also go to the horses. I am never convinced by actors masquerading as animals. Here (if you suspend your imagination enough) the desired affect is obtained.

The finale of the play remains as shocking as ever. I am sure that every parent and teenager will be able to relate to the issues that arise during the course of Equus. The standing ovation at the end was never more well-deserved (including Peter Shaffer himself).

My final comments must be directed to the director Thea Sharrock. For someone so young, yet so talented, I can only wait to see her next piece of stage work.

Go and see, I urge you!

Another blog review from Front Free EndPaper

"This is an intense play. It follows the destruction and rebuilding of a young soul and although there is healing, there is also loss because of the healing. Sitting six row back in the stalls, behind Radcliffe's family, there was a real immediacy to the experience. There's no denying that this production has been about Daniel Radcliffe from the beginning, heavily trailed with near-nude promotional shots and of course, his worldwide fame through the Harry Potter movies has made this an event that it otherwise wouldn't have been. That said, as a bit of a Daniel Radcliffe fan in my dizzy moments, he put in an astonishing performance. The nudity was far less shocking than seeing him smoking and swearing violenty, and when the clothes did come off, for all the talk of 'Dan the Man' and tabloid prurience about 'How Harry has Grown', it was quite clear that Alan Strang is a boy. Radcliffe may have been buffing up at the gym but he is still a slight and vulnerable-looking (and though he doesn't like it much - short) boy. All of which was only enhanced his characterisation.

I feel as though I have been through a family tragedy, in my own family, impotent to do anything about it, as if the tragedy was, in some way, me.

I do not mind feeling like this. I am not about to fall into a pit of despair from which I will never rise. This is what good theatre, really good theatre should do to you... and Equus did."
This review has a nice picture of the outside theater with a huge poster of Dan on top of the door.

From dr.com

Review from Jenna fromwas also another lucky fan who attended this show, here is her review.

"The stage setup was magnificent for this type of production. Perfect for all sorts of scene scenarios, and not one cast member was left out of the arranging. It could not have been more cleverly constructed, with its turn table platform, whisking its agonizing main character away on his ride with Equus (Will Kemp) in the field.

"The horse characters within Equus were constructed of metal hooves and heads…heads with glowing eyes. They were the whispers in the wind and the shiver down your spine. Their presence was both gentle and malevolent. These wondrous portrayals of beast and God were only matched by Radcliffe’s genuine awe and chastity toward them. His eyes twinkled with emotion like droplets of dew on an early morning. To see this magnificent depiction of character—the stage seats are the thing.

"Radcliffe…well what can I say about Radcliffe. He’s fearless. I have been to many a show throughout my life and I haven’t bawled like a banshee at a single one…the guy had me crying people. I don’t cry. (Just don’t tell anyone).

"Throughout the entire show Radcliffe was well poised, well spoken, in character and emotionally charged. He hit every mark spot on…he portrayed the right balance between insanity and reverence, spirituality and emptiness, awakening and shutting down…it just all clicked in one go. He definitely struck the right balance on stage.
"To all of you planning on seeing this production—you’re in for a whirlwind ride of laughs and arduous moments that promise to drain you to your very core. "


More to come...