Equus Comparative Moments

Question 1

Alan - reluctance to talk to Dysart

Answer 1

‘Double your pleasure, double your fun’
CS - inside Dysart’s office
Leaning forward, knees bent, strong eye contact, move head towards on line and withdraw it slightly.
Voice - orotund, loud, fast pace, no breaths inbetween, matter of fact.

Question 2

Alan - beginning to trust Dysart

Answer 2

‘How should I know… six’
DS - on beach, playing with sand
Kneeling on floor, hunched over, miming picking up sand with left hand - cupping it, raising it, then tilting it over as if letting it fall. Turn to face Dysart. Then hestitate, and look down at sand when says ‘six’.
Voice - orotund, petulant tone - pause after ‘know’, then deliver six with a lower, quieter voice.

Question 3

Alan - excitement at riding for the first time

Answer 3

Bear me away
DS - on Horseman’s back
Wrapping his arms around his torso, gripping tightly. On line, raise chest somewhat, as if taking a big deep breath. Horseman increases speed, and goes back to leaning forward, clutching horseman with more grip.
Voice - orotund, exultant, loud volume.

Question 4

Alan - shuts off again after tape recording

Answer 4

That’s stupid. Horses don’t talk
CS - sat on bench in Dysart’s office
Hands on knees, looking towards floor, shrug of the head. No eye contact.
Voice - childlike, pause on full stop. Quite low volume.

Question 5

Alan - rages at Dysart

Answer 5

That’s all you are! Bloody nosey Parker!
DSC, Dysart on bench downstage.
Feet wide, knees bent, leaning forward, keeping strong eye contact. Hands on knees, eyebrows furrowed. (Strong posture)
Voice - piercing, loud, quite slow but each word pronounced with intensity and ferocity.

Question 6

Alan - rides Nugget and has a religious and sexual experience
EXPRESSIONISM, RELIGION

Answer 6

AMEN
CS - on Nugget’s back.
Nugget holding his legs so get chest upwards and tall, arms raised towards the sky with intensity (worshipful, exultant), head raised, eyes wide, breathing heavily.
Voice - hoarse, breathy, exultant, loud, hold it for about 5 seconds.

Question 7

Alan - feels sympathy for his father

Answer 7

He’s just the same as me - just the same. Christ!
DS - walking with Jill, Dysart on downstage bench
Waling with Jill - stops on ‘just the same’. Shaking head. Feet close together, chest quite tall, looking at the floor. Hands raised to face after the line, then on Christ hands rapidly thrown down to chest height .

Question 8

Alan - trying to have sex with Jill - fear/frustration

Answer 8

I couldn’t… see her

Question 9

Alan - when Equus is mocking him

Answer 9

Mocking, mocking

Question 10

Alan - having stabbed the eyes of the horses

Answer 10

KILL ME! KILL ME!

Question 11

Dysart - seen it all, unphased

Answer 11

Dosed some little girl’s Pepsi with Spanish Fly?

Question 12

Dysart - warm to Hesther and bored at his job

Answer 12

Everyone gets it [professional menopause] at some point. Except you.

Question 13

Dysart - fear/intrigue as describes his dream to Hesther

Answer 13

Their gold pop-eyes suddenly fill with blood

Question 14

Dysart - unintimidated by Alan

Answer 14

She’ll bash you much harder I can assure you

Question 15

Dysart - loses his cool

Answer 15

Alan, give them to me!

Question 16

Dysart - questioning the ethics of his job

Answer 16

I have cut from them parts of individuality repugnant to this God

Question 17

Dysart - care for Alan and unafraid of Dora

Answer 17

He’s at a most delicate stage of treatment

Question 18

Dysart - he wants the Dionysian!

Answer 18

Without worship you shrink

Question 19

Dysart - making Alan plastic and Normal

Answer 19

His private parts will come to feel as plastic to him as the products of the factory to which he will almost certainly be sent

Question 20

Dysart - resignation to the unfulfilled

Answer 20

There is now, in my mouth, this sharp chain. And it never comes out

Question 21

Frank - disappointment in Alan

Answer 21

You, the son of a printer, never opening a book!

Question 22

Frank - love for Dora

Answer 22

No one’s laughing are they doctor

Question 23

Frank - confrontational and defensive of his son

Answer 23

Don’t you be la-di-da with me young man

Question 24

Frank - pulls Alan off Trojan ruining his moment (link to Cinema)

Answer 24

I said - this moment

Question 25

Frank - blaming religion (hence Dora) for their troubles (with Dysart in his office)

Answer 25

Religion’s at the bottom of all of this!

Question 26

Frank - guilt at not doing anything to stop Alan (masculinity)

Answer 26

Nothing - I coughed and went downstairs

Question 27

Frank - shame to Dysart

Answer 27

I can’t say any more

Question 28

Frank - embarrassed at the Cinema

Answer 28

I am certainly going to refuse my services

Question 29

Dora - embarassed

Answer 29

All right - laugh! Laugh as usual!

Question 30

Dora - laughing at Frank getting wet

Answer 30

[No quote]

Question 31

Dora - doesn’t want to see Alan

Answer 31

No, no… not just at the moment

Question 32

Dora - anger and sadness at Alan

Answer 32

Don’t you give me that stare young man (goes to slap him)

Question 33

Dora - anger at Dysart and idea of Freud

Answer 33

That’s a dirty word in here, isn’t it, ‘parent’

Question 34

Dora - desperately wants sympathy as she’s receiving all the blame

Answer 34

What do you have to do in this world to get any sympathy, blind animals?

Question 35

Dora - not understanding

Answer 35

He was my little Alan, and then the devil came