• Location: Los Angeles
• Music: The Corrs - Breathless

EQUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I saw Equus Wednesday night! Let me just say that it is absolutely amazing. I've read the book and seen the movie but seeing it on stage is something else. I was expecting Dan to be very good since I adore Dan and consider him to be a great actor who takes the art seriously. I knew he would be good but I didn't expect he would be that good. He was very powerful and very believable as Alan Strang. Even him saying "No!" was powerful and you know you're watching a good actor when the simple word "no" is delivered in such a great way. His stage presence was wonderful. He made sure to talk clearly and loudly enough for the audience but not too loudly to be considered yelling (except when his character yelled of course). There's a scene of him reliving the first time he saw a horse when he was a small child that really got me. He transformed into a child right there. There wasn't any difference with clothes or anything but one minute you saw the 17 year old and suddenly it felt like you were looking at a small child. Another scene where he's hitting himself for religious reasons was also powerful, very raw. There were many scenes that left me breathless besides those scenes. The part where he's grooming Nugget is really wonderful, he looked so into it. The sexual and religious feel he gets from riding at night was also performed brilliantly, he really made me believe that it was really happening. The failed sexual scene was amazing. The second to last scene was so savage. After his failed attempt at sex and chasing away Jill he snaps and starts blinding the horses naked. To me that's more powerful then him blinding them with pants on, it was very primal and savage. That whole scene was done wonderfully. From the lights in the eyes going out, the horses running and screaming, and Alan curled in on himself. During all this he was still in the psychatrist's office and after that he kind of came back to the presence and he breaks down screaming and crying. The doctor wraps him in a blanket and embraces him, telling Alan that he'll make him well. Such a simple thing was also performed wonderfully. Richard Griffiths was really amazing but what else can you expect from a seasoned actor? I didn't like his character too much but I thought that Mr. Griffiths performed it beautifully. The other actors were very good and major respect to the girl who played Jill, she was great!Edit:Forgot to mention something.
I had front row Mezz seats, right in the center. It wasn't a full house though so the lady who seated us said that during the second act we can go down to the box seats. She said "you'll be close to his butt!" (lolz!)
So before the second act my friend and I went to the very bottom box seat. Viewing is somewhat limited there because it's off to the side. I couldn't see a horse right there for example. Other then that it was a great seat! We were really close to the stage and I had a lovely view of the action from there. I was at the side of the stage where he starts stripping, heehee.


After the show was over the cast mentioned that they are taking donations and selling things to help out the charity Broadway Cares. All the musicals and plays are doing that and most of them have stuff you can buy. I gave a little at all the shows but I made sure I had enough cash to actually get something at Equus. Dan and Anne (Jill) came back on stage with a Playbill and a poster, those were to be sold for the charity. After all that was done and we were all released, we headed downstairs. I found the lady who plays Mrs. Strang and I bought myself a signed playbill! The entire cast signed it and I'm getting it framed with my ticket in a special frame with glass that will keep the sun's harmful rays from it. It was worth what I paid for :)

Alright, now what I know some of you have been waiting for! After all that we went outside to go to the stage door. I really liked how they set that up, a security guard was checking tickets. Anybody that didn't have a ticket for that day's show (matinee or night show) couldn't go behind the barrier. Since I had my ticket I was allowed in. The way the gate originally was, I was stuck behind somebody. Then the guard moved the gate so it was lined up with the door. When we moved with him I found myself in the very front and also third down the line. We all waited and then Dan came out. He immediately started signing things. It kind of bothered me seeing some people having him sign Potter stuff. He isn't Potter there, he's Alan. Whatever, that's their right I guess. I was the third person he came to and he took my Playbill to sign. I thought I would walk away after that without speaking because...it's Dan! Nope, I actually found my voice! I said "Dan, you were really amazing tonight!" He looked right up at me and made eye contact with me and said "Thank you very much indeed." (!!!!). I was probably bursting a few brain cells when that happened. I just found that to be really great, that he took the time to actually look at me when thanking me. He could have easily just kept signing and thanked me...or not even acknowledging my compliment! I know it's not a big deal but it's those little things that show just how polite and charming Dan is. He looked at everybody that spoke to him, I loved it! I can honestly say that his eyes are just as blue if not more so then in pictures and he's even more handsome up close! After signing my Playbill he gave it back to me and he brushed my hand with his! A few more brain cells imploded at that...After he signed he gave one last wave and got in the big black Escalade.
A lot of people left but I wasn't done, I also wanted to see Richard Griffiths since he's such an accomplished and amazing actor. He came out and started signing things as well. He actually talked to us! We had a conversation with Richard, how awesome is that!? We talked about his awesome furry hat (an ushunka). I mentioned that it was certainly the weather for it and he looked at me and agreed. Heee!!! After he left we waited for Lorenzo to come out but either he never came out, bummer.
We started walking away from the theatre when it kinda just hit me. I was fine when actually meeting Dan and when seeing the play. During the nude scene I was so absorbed in it and saw Alan Strang and not Daniel Radcliffe. After we started walking though, it all rushed back to me. I saw Equus, I saw Dan naked, I met Dan, I talked to Dan, he talked to me, he looked at me, and he brushed my hand. I started crying a bit from joy but mostly from being overwhelmed by it all. It was one of the best days of my life. I started texting people like mad and probably amused some of them greatly with my babbles. I called my mom later and squeed to her about my experience. I was so hyper that night and then kinda crashed xD


Some of you are probably wondering about Dan in that scene. Well, he was very good in it. He has such a nice bum and back, wow. I was more entranced by his lower backside then his front. xD


The Theater!



These were all taken without zoom (except for one!). I was about a foot or less away from Dan!!!

@____@


This is when he finished autographing my Playbill. He was moving on to another person, I had to get a shot. I kinda wanted to take a photo when he looked up at me but I kinda thought that would've been rude. Just taking a photo when he took the time to look up at me. It's okay though, those eyes will forever be in my mind :)


Signing somebody's Equus book. Nose ^.^


I think I used zoom just a tad here, I don't really remember.


At the other side :3


Yay Richard!


He was so nice :)


The Playbill Dan signed for me!


The Playbill I bought along with the ticket, I'm framing them together.