Equus (play)

Tags: Play.

Equus is a play by Peter Shaffer written in 1973 telling the story of a psychiatrist who attempts to treat a young man who has a pathological religious fascination with horses.Shaffer was inspired to write Equus when he heard of a crime involving a 17-year-old who blinded six horses in a small town near Suffolk. He set out to construct a fictional account of what might have caused the incident without knowing any of the details of the crime.

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author

Peter Shaffer

character in play

* Alan Strang, * Dora Strang, * Frank Strang, * Harry Dalton, * Hesther Soloman, * Horseman, * Jill Mason, * Martin Dysart, * Nugget, * Nurse

IBDB ID

3358

premiere place

Royal National Theatre

premiere year

1973-01-01T00:00:00+02:00

setting of play

The Present; Rokeby Psychiatric Hospital Southern England

subject of play

17-year old boy blinds six horses with spike case becomes a catalyst for his psychiatrist's own doubts