About the work
'Equus' is a play by Peter Shaffer that premiered on 17 July 1973 at the National Theatre London (in the Old Vic building), directed by John Dexter and starring Alec McCowen and Peter Firth. The idea originated in a true incident: an acquaintance told Shaffer over dinner about a case in which a young man had blinded several horses with a spike; knowing no further facts, Shaffer built a fictional account of what might have driven the act.
Plot
Psychiatrist Martin Dysart treats seventeen-year-old Alan Strang, who has savagely blinded six horses. Through their sessions, Dysart gradually uncovers the religiously and sexually charged fantasy world behind Alan's act, while the process forces him to confront his own outwardly unremarkable existence.
Cultural significance
'Equus' won the 1975 Tony Award for Best Play and is regarded as one of the most influential British dramas of the 1970s; the title role drew renewed attention through a widely noted 2008 Broadway revival starring Daniel Radcliffe.