Harry Potter Does The Full Monty

[edjames]

I saw "Equus" this week and watched intently as Daniel Radcliffe tore the freaking theater down. The kid can act!

 

Equus, written by Peter Shaffer, is the powerful and provocative story of a stable boy and a psychiatrist who seek to understand the sexual and religious mystery which leads to a climatic and unbelievable event. Daniel Radcliffe, plays the stable boy, and Richard Griffiths, who plays the psychiatrist, was last seen on Broadway in The History Boys for which he won a Tony Award.

 

A highly homo-erotic play in which the young stable boy lovingly embraces the horses (wait till you see the group of studs that play the horses!), the play gives way to the inner struggles and turmoil of the young boy but also the psychiatrist who tries to heal him. It was a terrific evening of theater. I won’t bother to discuss the nude scene in the second act, except to say, Daniel has a nice body and the stage lighting doesn’t exactly illuminate his crotch!

 

I also recently saw Nicky Silver's "Three Changes," at Playwrights Horizon. Starring Dylan McDermott (from TV’s "The Practice" and Maura Tierney (from TV's "ER") it was a well acted, if bizarre play. Last year's stud Brian J. Smith from "Come Back Little Sheba" does a great job playing the young street hustler who moves in with the recently re-habed writer, his brother and wife. A strange ending. Anyone else see it?

 

Alas, the fall season does not include a lot of musicals and I'm not one who'll rush out to see "Shrek" or "13". Next for me will be Frank Langella in "A Man for All Seasons," Mrs. Tom Cruise (LOL) in "All My Sons," "Speed The Plow" with “Entourage” star, Jeremy Piven and "American Buffalo" with John Leguiziamo. I am a bit disappointed that they couldn't get Hugh Jackman to star in the revival of "Pal Joey" and felt they could have cast a better lead than former-Jersey Boy co-star, Christian Hoff, although I'm going for Stockard Channing.

 

A number of shows have posted closing notices, so it's your last chance to see "Xanadu," which closes very soon, "Legally Blonde," and [title of show].

 

ED