Daniel Radcliffe - Dan's stage preformance in Equus

**baileycat** · 08-17-2006, 10:11 AM

Who: Daniel Radcliffe - Alan Strang / Richard Griffiths - Dr. Martin Dysart
What: Equus - A Revival production of Peter Shaffer's Tony Award winning play
Where: London's West End , venue to be announced
When: Previews start Feburary 16th, 2007, Opening March 2007 through to June 9th 2007

Quote:

Radcliffe & Griffiths Star in Equus Revival

Teenaged Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe (pictured) will star alongside Richard Griffiths, who last month won the Tony Award for Best Actor for The History Boys, in Peter Shaffer’s Equus in a West End production directed by Thea Sharrock opening in March 2007. A venue has not yet been confirmed for David Pugh and Dafydd Rogers’ production, which is due to start previews on 16 February 2007.

Equus, which tells the story of a troubled 17 year-old stable boy who blinds his horses, was originally produced by the National Theatre at the Old Vic in 1973, directed by John Dexter, and starring Alec McCowen as psychiatrist Martin Dysart and Peter Firth as Alan Strang, the patient. The play transferred to Broadway starring Anthony Hopkins and Firth, where it ran for 1,200 performances and received the Tony Award for Best Play in 1975, making it one of the most successful plays in New York history.

The controversial drama, which was made into a Hollywood film starring Richard Burton in 1977, is based on a true story. Shaffer (whose other plays include The Royal Hunt of the Sun – currently in rep at the National), was inspired to write Equus when he heard of a crime involving a teenage boy's apparently senseless injury to horses. The play will require Radcliffe to simulate sexual satisfaction while riding naked on a horse.

Radcliffe, who made his stage debut as a celebrity guest in The Play What I Wrote (also produced by Pugh and Rogers) after finding fame as the young wizard in the film adaptations of JK Rowling's popular books, will star as Alan Strang in Equus for 16 weeks to 19 June 2007. Griffiths – who incidentally plays Harry’s nasty uncle in the Harry Potter films - will play his psychiatrist, Martin Dysart, who tries to understand the motives behind the boy’s actions in the drama.

dr.co.uk personal message from Dan

Quote:

"I'm really excited to be part of this production. I'm thrilled to be working with Richard Griffiths again. This is obviously a huge departure for me as an actor, but Equus is such an amazing play that this really was an opportunity not to be missed.

Rehearsal starts in January and I'm very much looking forward to working with Thea Sharrock who is an incredibly talented Director and only hope I do the role justice!"

Another message from Dan to his fans...

Quote:

"I just wanted to thank all my fans for the tremendous support you have shown me in my forthcoming role of Alan Strang in Peter Shaffer's Equus. As you know, this is an incredibly powerful drama and the decision to play this part was not one taken lightly. This role will stretch me as an actor further than I can possibly imagine and I am so excited to be involved in this production and to be directed in my theatre debut by one of the most talented directors working today, Thea Sharrock. I am also delighted to be starring opposite Richard Griffiths who of course, aside from playing 'my Uncle Vernon' was just recently awarded a Tony for his performance in The History Boys. He is truly a remarkable actor and there is no one I'd rather have guide me through this unique stage experience. Thank you again, your support means the world to me".

Quote:

Melbourne's Herald Sun
Re performing a nude scene

Dan: "All the other actors who have ever played the part have done that, so for me not to do it wouldn't really be playing the part", he says. "It would be a watered down version. It wouldn't be the same."

"I'll be incredibly nervous, but I think, 'it's in the script; it's got to be done'. I'm terrified, but excited."

From dr.co.uk

Quote:

For those of you who are a bit older, I thought it might be useful to pass along some additional information regarding the play "Equus." While I wouldn't recommend the book to under-aged fans, it is filled with additional information which "brings to light" the true meaning of the story by Peter Shaffer. The book, Equus, published by Penguin Plays, is "recommended for discussion" by the Great Books Foundation. Not only did it win a Tony Award, it also won the New York Drama Critics Circle Award, The Drama Desk Award, and the New York Outer Critics Award for Best Play of 1975.

Quoted directly off of the book itself, Clive Barnes, of the New York Times, deemed it "a very important play", while the Sunday Express (London) said, "Quite simply, Equus is magnificent." Not all of you will have the means to acquire a copy of the book, therefore, I'd like to share the caption from the back cover:

"In Equus, which took critics and public alike by storm and has gone on to become a modern classic, Peter Shaffer depicts the story of a deranged youth who blinds six horses with a spike. through a psychiatrist's analysis of the events, Shaffer creates a chilling portraint of how materialism and convenience have killed our capacity for worship and passion and, consequently, our capacity for pain. Rarely has a playwright created an atmosphere and situation that so harshly pinpoint the spiritual and mental decay of modern man."

On page nine of the book, Shaffer explains how he had heard of a horrible crime, and before he could verify the details of the crime, his friend had died. He was inspired to interpret "the act" of crime in an entirely personal way.

An Equus rehearsal clip ~ From another stage production (not Dan's)
A performance clip ~ From the same acting company. warning: distrubing images but no nudity in this clip.
1977 Equus movie trailer ~ Staring Richard Burton and Peter Firth. Directed by Sidney Lumet

Feel free to discuss your feelings about it and if you are ever so lucky to be able to actually see one of these performances please tell us about it.

*antarian angel* · 08-17-2006, 09:15 PM

I'm glad this has its own thread!

from the news thread...

Quote:

I can't imagine what his mother is going to be like watching him from her seat on opening night. "That's my baby up there!"

I imagine that will be quite the experience for her.

Not only watching such an intense performance, but watching your son do it.

**baileycat** · 08-18-2006, 06:41 AM

Yeah. It's going to be an emotional night for her.

I just figured since we have so much information about it already and more stuff seems to be coming in everyday it was time for it's own thread.

***heaven85*** · 08-18-2006, 07:44 PM

Thanks so much for starting the thread for this Amy. It looks great.

**baileycat** · 08-19-2006, 07:14 AM

I've added the 1977 movie trailer to the opening post too. It's definitely worth a look.

Brunette-beats-all-sucka · 08-19-2006, 06:17 PM

Thanks so much for the thread!

I just watched the trailer. All I can say is..Wow!

**baileycat** · 08-20-2006, 04:01 PM

You're welcome

Yes the trailer is far out. Especially with Peter Firth's hair!

***heaven85*** · 08-20-2006, 09:12 PM

That trailer was great.

**baileycat** · 08-22-2006, 07:44 AM

Mid-Day's interview with Dan yesterday had this to say about Equus

Quote:

In Equus, his London stage debut as a psychologically disturbed stable boy, Daniel has a nude scene; how comfortable is he doing that?

It will be a bit of cop out if I don’t, because all other actors who have played the part have done it, so for me not to do it wouldn’t be really playing the part. It would be playing a watered down version of the part. It wouldn’t be the same. I’ll be incredibly nervous, but it’s in the script so it’s got to be done.

Is he looking forward to being on stage?
It’s going to be nerve-wracking, but it’s going to be incredibly exciting, it’s a new challenge. It’s something I’ve never done before. I’ve been voice training — learning to project my voice.

Most actors go from drama school to the stage and then into film. But I’m sort of doing it the other way around. I’m going from film to stage. And so it’s an unorthodox way of doing it, but it’s going to be quite exciting.

So he's taking voice lessons. That's smart. I'm glad he's getting the necessary training for it. The demanding role is going to require alot of discipline.

***heaven85*** · 08-22-2006, 10:42 PM

Awesome news. I'm glad he is taking it really seriously and taking voice lessons. It shows how dedicated he is to it and I'm proud of him for it.

**baileycat** · 08-23-2006, 07:19 AM

So he's also taking a year off school for this and his HBP commitments saying after that he see what he wants to do. I can understand this decision, but I hope he does keep up with his education. I'm sure his parents wouldn't allow him not to continue further.

***heaven85*** · 08-24-2006, 10:53 PM

I heard that news. Thanks for posting them.

**baileycat** · 09-22-2006, 08:32 AM

Richard Griffiths talks about Dan in Equus in the New York Post

Quote:

Griffiths will then begin preparing for his next role on the London stage: the psychiatrist in Peter Shaffer's 1973 play "Equus."
Opposite him will be Harry Potter himself, Daniel Radcliffe, making his stage debut as an emotionally disturbed young man who blinds horses.
Griffiths says Radcliffe is up to the job. "The role is a 17-year-old boy, which is essentially what Dan is. So, from an acting point of view, all he has to do is behave. The boy has no awareness of his emotional impact, so you don't want acting - you want natural behavior. I'm confident Dan will do well."
And if the show's a hit, will Griffiths and Radcliffe travel with it to Broadway?
"Oh, yes. Like a shot."

***heaven85*** · 09-22-2006, 09:59 PM

Awwww I love how much confidence he has in him.

**baileycat** · 09-23-2006, 09:41 AM

About him going to broadway though. I don't think that's an option for Dan. It's written that he's only in the production for 16 weeks. And after that they'll replace him. So most likely it will be his replacement that gets to go to broadway not Dan.

But he'll be so busy anyway doing HBP that it won't matter so much to him I wouldn't think.

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