Equus Final Performance-Anybody Go?

[willep]

Posted: 2/8/09 at 6:35pm

If so, how was it?

[Dollypop]

Posted: 2/8/09 at 7:35pm

dunno

[micka30]

Posted: 2/8/09 at 8:03pm

I wasn't there, but I found these comments on a Daniel Radcliffe fansite (danradcliffe.com), seems it was very emotional:

"Wow....I mean wow. I need to let this sink in. What an incredible thing I just witnessed. I was in the second row from the stage, center orchestra section so all of this was happening right in front of me. When the cast started all their hugging and when Peter came out, people starting taking pics, which you're not supposed to do and I don't do but when no one was doing anything about it, I took my camera and took four quick shots before security did start to notice noticing people. I felt a little guilty but you know what? The cast could not have cared less..there was so much hugging and emotion. Can't wait for the legitimate pics to come through soon.

Some moments:

- The audience applauded immediately when Dan, Richard and Kate first came out on stage during the play, which I assume is a thing to do during a closing show so that was cool!

- A couple of horses and Anna Camp were already in tears when they came out on stage for their curtain call

When Daniel came out for his curtain call, someone threw a stuffed horse b/w him and Richard. Daniel jumped and laughed.

- Richard held Daniel's head against his chest in a close hug.....omg, that's when I started to lose it.

- Thea brought Peter Shaffer out and the house went wild. What an amazing moment. Daniel hugged Peter right in front me and I could see Daniel's heart on his face.

- Watching Daniel hug everyone and they fiercely hugging him

- After all the hugging, Daniel told everyone to sit down and relax. He thanked the incredible Broadway community and how welcoming they made him feel and how wonderful they have been these past six months. He thanked the cast and the staff at the Broadhurst theater and especially thanked Richard, for his amazing guidance and talent and love. Bravo Daniel.

- Thea was holding Daniel and kept pressing his head against her as Richard was about to speak.

- Richard talked about how everyone will now have to go their separate ways and though he hopes all of them can talk many times in the future about this amazing time, he did talk about everyone now taking separate paths. He recited a poem by Robert Frost about that very theme - about one's journey, path and choices in life. The theater was dead silent as he spoke and very moved when he finished. The lump in my throat is still there.

- The audience was handing roses and other gifts to the cast and the cast was leaning over thanking people. I caught Daniel's eye for about 2 seconds and I was grinning like a fool, happy for them all."

"The poem Griffiths recited was Frost's famous 'The Road Not Taken'. As Richard had spoken of the theme (of the crew taking their separate ways after six months together), predictably Daniel guessed which poem had been chosen. He nodded, and started mouthing the opening lines as Richard started...

All the men received wheat sheaves, instead of flowers. The ladies only got one red rose each - in this recession, they're even cutting back on bouquets!

Before leaving the stage, Dan joined in the audience's appreciation, pumping his arms up in the air and going 'woohoo'."

"And when he was walking off, he was trying to pick up his clothes that he shredded during the final scene and having a little difficulty...haha. He was chatting with a couple of audience members right there about it.

When he was about to start his speech and the audience was still settling, people were "shhing" and Daniel was like, "yes, yes...shhhhhh" and we laughed"

"And he was holding his wheat sheve and the stuff horse that was thrown at him up high as he was walking off..."

[willep]

Posted: 2/8/09 at 9:03pm

Aww, I wish I could have been there...haha

[morosco]

Posted: 2/8/09 at 9:20pm

Hope we have an opportunity to see Radcliffe on stage again soon. He's not only a very talented actor, he's a class act.

[willep]

Posted: 2/8/09 at 10:12pm

I completely agree morosco.

[faithzilla]

Posted: 2/8/09 at 10:27pm

Another play gone by that I never got to see...goodness Texas is far away from New York. Well anyways, that sounds really sweet. Would have been awesome to be there. I hope I can go to a closing one day (although, knowing me, I'd cry my eyes out...)

[EmmaF]

Posted: 2/8/09 at 11:07pm

I was there, and I was absolutely blown away.

I've seen the show an embarassing number of times this week (I made the trip to NY from the UK specifically to see Equus), and I was completely astounded by how talented Dan Radcliffe is. He has such stage presence - you can't help but look at him. It's very obvious that he loves acting and is dedicated to constantly evolving and improving his craft.

I felt honoured to be there for the closing show, and got rather emotional to see how proud and supportive the entire cast are of each other. And it was incredibly cool to see Jenny Agguter on stage with everybody at the end too.
Updated On: 2/8/09 at 11:07 PM

[willep]

Posted: 2/8/09 at 11:21pm

Aww well I am glad you got to go EmmaF! Sounds like it was a pretty good time. I saw the show twice during it's run, but would have loved to gotten to go to the closing.

[greybaby231]

Posted: 2/9/09 at 12:46am

I had the great fortune of being there this afternoon. =]

First off, I saw the show in London, and once more on Broadway before today, and it was the most emotional I have seen Daniel Radcliffe act. He was so into the part of Alan Strang that he was even kissing Nugget's chest, and doing other small things that actually made a huge difference. Everyone was at their best, and it was a spectacular performance. The horses' choreography was so precise and together. Lorenzo Pisoni was brilliant; his horse movements were so real. I don't know how, but you could feel the emotional connection between Nugget and Alan. Kudos to both of them.

During curtain call, everyone came onto the stage (including Peter Shaffer). Someone threw a stuffed horse onto the stage, which hit Daniel. He actually picked it up and took it with him. Daniel gave a short speech about how honored he was to be so welcomed into the Broadway community and how honored he was to work with Richard Griffiths and Thea Sharrock as they taught him how to act on a stage. Richard Griffiths quoted Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken". Nothing more. No dramatic speech. Just that one poem, and it had everyone around me (including myself) in tears. I also thought it was a nice touch that they gave all the actors bouquets of straw instead of flowers.

The stage door was crazy. I'm not big on stage door stalking, but my friend and I had to just watch the crazy from the opposite side of the street. When Daniel came out, the barriers were pushed in a good two feet, and the cops lost it. People were in the middle of the street trying to get pictures, and cars were stopping to see who the crowd was looking at. Peter Shaffer came out, and my friend and I got him to sign our playbills for us. Personally, I was much more excited to meet Peter Shaffer than to even glimpse Daniel Radcliffe.

It was a crazy night, but it was one I will never forget. Honestly, it was one of the most moving performances I have ever seen, and I know it will stay with me for a very long time.
Updated On: 2/9/09 at 12:46 AM