Every Brilliant Thing presents a theatrical gauntlet for Daniel Radcliffe, the erstwhile Harry Potter, acclaimed Broadway stage regular and only star of this 13-week limited engagement.
It’s not that the show requires nonstop physical exertion – though it does require some, as in a scene of manic exuberance where Radcliffe’s character attempts to high-five the entire audience – so much as a quick-on-his-feet reactive (and interactive!) warmth. While Radcliffe is the only professional actor in the show, its framework involves pulling audience members, including but not limited to those in a semi-circle of on-stage seats, into the action, all while making sure the sorta-monologue (call it a monologue-plus) runs smoothly. This hybrid of acting, interacting and stage-directing must be exhausting. But apart from a few quick water breaks and one built-in collapse after sprinting around the aisles and doing those high-fives, Radcliffe doesn’t much show it. He appears to genuinely love the job, which requires either superhumanly high spirits or terrific acting. Maybe both.
