Equus (play) by critics and audiences alike. Broadway World called the production 'dark, daunting and sensual' and commending its 'stellar cast'. Houston Press said it was 'astonishingly good... a must see' while Culturemap listed the show as one of the hottest shows of the year. Equus (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
Peter Shaffer Critics' Circle that year as well. His screenplay adaptation of the play was nominated for a Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar in 1977. Shaffer's play "Amadeus" won the Evening Standard Drama Award and the Theatre Critics' Award for its initial London production. Upon moving to Broadway, "Amadeus" won the 1981 Tony Award for Best Play. His screenplay adaptation of the play won the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar as well as the Golden Globe Best Screenplay in 1984. Shaffer's play "Lettice and Lovage" was nominated for another Tony Award, and for her performance in it, Dame Maggie Smith won the Tony Award