Equus Context of the Play

The first production of Equus at the National Theatre in July 1973. Firstly the play came to Shaffer after driving past a stable with reminded him of a story he had heard at a dinner party. He knew only the horrible detail it then aroused an intense fascination. The act had been committed a few years by a disturbed young man. It had deeply shocked a local bench of magistrates. However lacked an overall explanation to the story. The friend who recited it to him then died without finishing the story or completely giving an explanation, name or place. However Shaffer knew what he wanted to portray and created this in his own personal way.