Comments on: Review of “Equus” on Broadway http://thehorseyset.net/836/review-of-equus-on-broadway/ An online horse magazine Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:01:52 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: rhond7 http://thehorseyset.net/836/review-of-equus-on-broadway/comment-page-1/#comment-107 rhond7 Fri, 21 Nov 2008 01:28:06 +0000 http://thehorseyset.net/?p=836#comment-107 I was a teen and young adult in the '70s in conservative rural America, Nixon's beloved so-called "Silent Majority." And, where I was, it felt like a majority. Free thinkers were free to keep their mouths shut or go elsewhere, if you know what I mean. So, I did. ;) I was a teen and young adult in the ’70s in conservative rural America, Nixon’s beloved so-called “Silent Majority.” And, where I was, it felt like a majority. Free thinkers were free to keep their mouths shut or go elsewhere, if you know what I mean. So, I did. ;)

]]> By: Sheila http://thehorseyset.net/836/review-of-equus-on-broadway/comment-page-1/#comment-102 Sheila Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:55:02 +0000 http://thehorseyset.net/?p=836#comment-102 I hadn't thought about that! I was too young in the 70's to speak from personal experience, but the impression I have about the history of the 70's is that there was a heavy leaning in the mainstream to be accepting of radical free thinkers. Even in the schools you had the push for open classrooms and such. But I also have the impression that while the idea of being a free thinker was popular, people who actually were free thinkers still had a tough time being accepted. What I personally saw a lot of in the 80's and the 90's and 2000's is an urgency in the mainstream to "fix" everything. Make everything healthy and acceptable according to societal norms. Just like Uncle Vernon (oops, Dr. Dysart;) pointed out. I know what you mean about the recent shift that's happened in culture lately. I think it's probably similar to the 70's though. People are enamored with the idea of being free thinkers, but in reality true free thinkers aren't widely accepted. What I think has happened is that some of the acceptable societal norms have changed but that "out there" ideas in general are still gasped at. Sheila I hadn’t thought about that!

I was too young in the 70’s to speak from personal experience, but the impression I have about the history of the 70’s is that there was a heavy leaning in the mainstream to be accepting of radical free thinkers. Even in the schools you had the push for open classrooms and such.

But I also have the impression that while the idea of being a free thinker was popular, people who actually were free thinkers still had a tough time being accepted.

What I personally saw a lot of in the 80’s and the 90’s and 2000’s is an urgency in the mainstream to “fix” everything. Make everything healthy and acceptable according to societal norms. Just like Uncle Vernon (oops, Dr. Dysart;) pointed out.

I know what you mean about the recent shift that’s happened in culture lately. I think it’s probably similar to the 70’s though. People are enamored with the idea of being free thinkers, but in reality true free thinkers aren’t widely accepted. What I think has happened is that some of the acceptable societal norms have changed but that “out there” ideas in general are still gasped at.

Sheila

]]> By: Equus - How did he manage that? « Still-Untitled Blog http://thehorseyset.net/836/review-of-equus-on-broadway/comment-page-1/#comment-100 Equus - How did he manage that? « Still-Untitled Blog Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:58:40 +0000 http://thehorseyset.net/?p=836#comment-100 [...] horse stories | Tags: Daniel Radcliffe, Equus | Over on The Horsey Set, I posted a review of Equus. What I didn’t cover is what inquiring minds want to know about the practicalities of [...] [...] horse stories | Tags: Daniel Radcliffe, Equus | Over on The Horsey Set, I posted a review of Equus. What I didn’t cover is what inquiring minds want to know about the practicalities of [...]

]]> By: rhond7 http://thehorseyset.net/836/review-of-equus-on-broadway/comment-page-1/#comment-99 rhond7 Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:34:24 +0000 http://thehorseyset.net/?p=836#comment-99 Good point, Sheila. I also wonder if a sign of the times from the play's creation was that we were more open to seeing "shades of gray" then, as opposed to the polarization of the recent times? Still, I also think that a shift has happened in culture lately so that more people have become more open-minded. Rhonda Good point, Sheila. I also wonder if a sign of the times from the play’s creation was that we were more open to seeing “shades of gray” then, as opposed to the polarization of the recent times? Still, I also think that a shift has happened in culture lately so that more people have become more open-minded.

Rhonda

]]> By: Sheila http://thehorseyset.net/836/review-of-equus-on-broadway/comment-page-1/#comment-93 Sheila Thu, 20 Nov 2008 05:10:50 +0000 http://thehorseyset.net/?p=836#comment-93 I saw Equus in New York. I definitely felt like I got my money's worth too. I don't think we were expected to admire him just because he had passion. Rather, I think the author wanted us to consider that not everything is black and white. To reconsider beliefs in absolutes of right and wrong, good and bad, sane or normal, healthy or sick, success or failure. Rigidly conforming to the norms of society doesn't necessarily make a person whole, but neither does the other extreme of psychosis. Perhaps neither extreme contains the complete answer, but there is validity in both. I saw Equus in New York. I definitely felt like I got my money’s worth too.

I don’t think we were expected to admire him just because he had passion. Rather, I think the author wanted us to consider that not everything is black and white. To reconsider beliefs in absolutes of right and wrong, good and bad, sane or normal, healthy or sick, success or failure. Rigidly conforming to the norms of society doesn’t necessarily make a person whole, but neither does the other extreme of psychosis. Perhaps neither extreme contains the complete answer, but there is validity in both.

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