‘EVERY BRILLIANT THING’: Daniel Radcliffe. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

EVERY BRILLIANT THING
Written by Duncan Macmillan with Jonny Donahoe
Directed by Jeremy Herrin & Duncan Macmillan
Through August 9, 2026
Hudson Theatre
141 West 44th Street
https://everybrilliantthing.com/

Editor’s Note: Mariska Hargitay assumed the lead role on May 26, 2026. Tracee Ellis Ross begins performances July 7, 2026.

By Scott Harrah

Daniel Radcliffe is a true master of the stage, and his many gifts are in fine form in the Broadway solo show Every Brilliant Thing.

In Every Brilliant Thing, Daniel Radcliffe carries a 70-minute one-man show about depression and suicide with a level of ease and connection few actors could sustain. His approach to such dark subject matter feels deeply personal and powerful, and he keeps audiences engaged with each word he utters. That ability has developed over time. This reviewer first described his work in Equus back in 2008 as “consistently riveting,” a performance that marked a clear departure from his Harry Potter films.

Since then, he has steadily expanded his range across Broadway and the West End. His credits include Martin McDonagh’s quirky The Cripple of Inishmaan in 2014 and the 2023 revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along (he won a Tony Award for his portrayal of Charlie Kringas). One of his strongest dramatic roles came in The Lifespan of a Fact in 2018, where his sharp delivery and commanding presence stood out. Here, he distills those qualities into something more intimate and direct.

From Edinburgh to Broadway

First developed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2013, Every Brilliant Thing moved to Off-Broadway in 2014. It later played a West End engagement in 2024, steadily building an international following.

The story

A narrator reflects on a life shaped by his mother’s depression and begins a list of “every brilliant thing” to capture the small joys that make life worth living. He writes many of these “brilliant things,” from ice cream and roller coasters to water fights and the color yellow, on Post-It notes. He creates this list to show his mother reasons to continue living and to find peace in life’s simplest pleasures.

As the list grows, it becomes a deeply personal thread that connects love, loss, and the ongoing search for meaning. The show also incorporates audience participation, with theatergoers seated on stage as well as in the orchestra and mezzanine.

As the narrator matures, the story expands to include school, first love, marriage, and career choices. At the same time, it revisits the lasting impact of his mother’s illness. The list continues to evolve and reflects changing perspectives on happiness, connection, and survival.

Audience interaction

Audience participation plays a central role in the show. Select theatergoers deliver lines and inhabit certain roles. At first, it may seem spontaneous, and this reviewer initially thought some participants might be “plants.” However, Mr. Radcliffe appears on stage approximately 30 minutes before each performance and selects volunteers to assist in the storytelling. No one is forced to do anything. As a result, the technique creates intimacy without disrupting the narrative flow.

Before the show begins, ushers hand out slips of paper to the audience. At the performance this reviewer attended, one slip noted that a brilliant thing about life is “waking up with someone you love.” This is an odd choice, as not everyone has someone in their life. Widows, widowers, and those who are divorced or single often sleep alone. In a production with a strong message about mental health, asking audience members to read such a statement aloud may feel uncomfortable or even triggering for some.

Direction & audience connection

Co-directors Jeremy Herrin and Duncan Macmillan allow Mr. Radcliffe to connect directly with the audience. This is no easy task in a drama that relies heavily on dialogue and interaction.

Accessible & approachable

Every Brilliant Thing takes the sensitive, stigmatized topic of mental health and makes it accessible and approachable for a broad audience, and that’s one of the truly brilliant aspects of the show. Moreover, it is refreshing to encounter a production like this in a world currently torn apart by war and political division. One leaves the theater deeply moved, with a renewed faith in both humanity and the power of theater.

Published March 21, 2026
Reviewed at press performance on March 18, 2026.

‘EVERY BRILLIANT THING’: Daniel Radcliffe. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘EVERY BRILLIANT THING’: Daniel Radcliffe. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘EVERY BRILLIANT THING’: Daniel Radcliffe. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘EVERY BRILLIANT THING’: Daniel Radcliffe. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘EVERY BRILLIANT THING’: Daniel Radcliffe. Photos: Matthew Murphy.

‘EVERY BRILLIANT THING’: Daniel Radcliffe. Photos Matthew Murphy.

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Tony Award Winner Daniel Radcliffe in Every Brilliant Thing starting 2/21/26

Previews Begin: Feb 21, 2026 | Opening Night: Mar 12, 2026 | Limited 13-Week Engagement at The Hudson Theatre

NEW YORK—Tony Award® winner Daniel Radcliffe (Merrily We Roll Along, Harry Potter films) returns to New  York with the Broadway premiere of Every Brilliant Thing. The solo play is by Olivier Award nominee Duncan Macmillan with Jonny Donahoe.

Directed by Olivier & Tony Award nominee Jeremy Herrin and Macmillan, the play begins previews Feb 21, 2026, opening Mar 12 for a limited 13-week run through May 24 at The Hudson Theatre (141 W 44th St).

About Every Brilliant Thing

Every Brilliant Thing follows a man reflecting on life’s moments of hope, told through a list of everything—big and small—that makes life worth living. The show played in 80+ countries.

The show earned raves in London. The Telegraph called it “life-affirming.” The Times called it “extraordinary, shattering, and beautiful,” and Time Out noting it is “filled to the brim with joy.”

About Daniel Radcliffe

Radcliffe recently starred in Merrily We Roll Along, earning a Tony and a Grammy nomination. His credits include Broadway (Equus, The Lifespan of a Fact) and West End (Endgame). In addition, he’s been in films (The Lost City, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story), and TV (The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins, Miracle Workers: End Times).

Website & Social Media: everybrilliantthingbway.com | @brilliantbway

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‘MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG’: (left to right) Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff & Lindsay Mendez. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG
Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Book by George Furth
Directed by Maria Friedman
Hudson Theatre
141 West 44th Street
www.MerrilyonBroadway.com

By David NouNou

It is easy to see why Merrily We Roll Along was savaged by critics and bombed when it opened on November 16, 1981. It used up its advance sales on 44 previews and lasted only 16 performances. It was to be a Stephen Sondheim vehicle with a no-name cast; “just Sondheim” as its selling point. This was before he was a deity. It failed on so many levels.

It lacked the grandiosity of his 1979 Sweeney Todd, or the majesty of 1976’s Pacific Overtures, or the beauty of 1973’s A Little Night Music, or the extravaganza of 1971’s Follies or the brilliance of 1970’s Company. Merrily We Roll Along was a dreary musical about three friends examining their lives in 1978 and going backwards in time to 1957 when they first met in their prime. It lacked any sets; the costumes were made up of jeans, khakis and T-Shirts with the character’s names on it. I guess because the cast was so lackluster, it was the only way the audience could identify them. Its failure was also due to the feeling of detachment from the musical itself and its characters. In 1981, audiences wanted to feel empathy for their characters and Merrily just didn’t give them that. Another blow came in the form of Michael Bennett’s explosive razzle-dazzle Dreamgirls, loosely based on the formation of the musical group Diana Ross and the Supremes. There was plenty of attachment and empathy there. The choice was simple: It came down to dreary or razzle-dazzle.

Merrily has developed a cult following over the years. With songs like the bouncy “Old Friends,”  and the haunting “Not a Day Goes By,” the musical started picking up steam. Fast forward to 2023: Sondheim is a deity now. You’ve got three leads that are big names, full of charm, charisma and audience visibility/connection. It’s a fully mounted production with a multi-functional set and costumes galore. The detachment that failed in 1981 works wonderfully for the age we live in now. However, it is Maria Friedman’s visionary direction that has reshaped a dreary musical into a full-blown, knockout production.

Having Daniel Radcliffe (Charley Kringas), Jonathan Groff (Franklin Shepard) and Lindsay Mendez (Mary Flynn) has given this musical a luster that it desperately needed. It is 1976 in Franklin Shepard’s Bel-Air mansion with all the phonies and sycophants surrounding him and extolling him. He is a producer now; he has left his roots of composing music for the glamour of Hollywood and all its pretentiousness. He is on his second marriage to theatrical actress, Gussie Carnegie (Krystal Joy Brown). She divorced Broadway producer, Joe Josephson (Jeremy Kushner), who produced Franklin and Charlie’s first musical hit, Musical Husbands.

Also at the party is a second member of the original trio, Mary Flynn, who has always been in love with Franklin but he has always been blind to it. She has written a bestseller and has now become a critic. Also, she loves her liquor. She is the mirror that Franklin has to look into to see what he has turned into; not the brilliant composer he always wanted to be. He is a success as a moneymaker, but a total failure as a man, a friend, a husband, and a father.

Moving backwards in time to 1973 at NBC Studios in Manhattan, Charley Kringas is awaiting the arrival of his composing partner and friend Franklin for an interview, but instead Franklin is late due to another venture of moneymaking. They are asked what it is like to be working together, and Charlie interrupts by “if I may…” and sings “Franklin Shepard, Inc.,” the showstopping number of the show, which incidentally sounds much like the style and tempo of “I’m Not Getting Married Today” from Sondheim’s Company.

Going further back to 1967, a courthouse where Beth Shepard (Katie Rose Clarke) is divorcing Frank and he asks her if she still loves him, and she sings the heart-wrenching “Not A Day Goes By.” End of Act I.

Act II is the weaker of the two. It starts in 1964 with Franklin and Charley’s first huge success, and keeps moving backward to 1960 when they formed their first revue at a downtown club in New York City where Beth auditions for them and Frank ends up proposing to her, until it’s finally 1957 on an NYC rooftop where the trio (Franklin, Charley and Mary) first meet, and sing about their bright future which is ahead of them in the song “Our Time.”

The musical was problematic from the onset. It had a difficult book to navigate through and the characters were most unlikable in its original formation—a no-no in musical comedy. However, over the years the book has been revised a few times, and there is no overlooking Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff and Lindsay Mendez. They are the oomph this show so desperately needs. Their charisma and charm make you overlook a lot of their character flaws and that’s perfectly okay, because everyone is flawed in some form or another. They work in harmonious sync. They complement each other’s performances. This is a tremendous asset to this complicated show. They smooth out the wrinkles and give it an easy flow.

In addition to Maria Friedman’s excellent direction, there is the sublime live orchestra—not pre-recorded tracks that are used in so many musicals today to cut costs—conducted by Joel Fram, and the divine orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick carry this musical into melody heaven. This is how you take a flop, reimagine it, cast it with a splendid trio, and turn it into an incredible memorable revival.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published October 23, 2023
Reviewed at October 22, 2023 press performance.

‘MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG’: Katie Rose Clarke & Jonathan Groff. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG’: (left to right) Reg Rogers, Katie Rose Clarke, Jonathan Groff, Daniel Radcliffe & Lindsay Mendez. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG’: The cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG’: Krystal Joy Brown & Jonathan Groff. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG’: (left to right) Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff, Reg Rogers
& Krystal Joy Brown. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

‘MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG’: (left to right) Krystal Joy Brown, Reg Rogers, Natalie Wachen & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy.

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‘THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT’: Bobby Cannavale & Cherry Jones. Photo: Peter Cunningham

THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT
Written by Jeremy Kareken, David Murrell & Gordon Farrell
Based on the essay/book by John D’Agata & Jim Fingal
Directed by Leigh Silverman
Through January 13, 2019
Studio 54
254 West 54th Street
(212-239-6200), www.lifespanofafact.com

By David NouNou

It’s been a long dry spell in the theater since we’ve had such a direct bullseye of a play with a compelling storyline, wonderful acting, razor-sharp direction; one just can’t help but have a hell of a good time. Although the title may suggest the plot, The Lifespan of a Fact has unexpected twists that you wouldn’t expect, and it ends up being an intelligent, thought-provoking comedy and great entertainment.

Based on a 2012 essay/book written by John D’Agata and Jim Fingal, about an essayist, not a journalist, Jim (Bobby Cannavale) having his essay (not article) published by the editor of a reputable magazine, Emily (Cherry Jones). Emily hires a fact-checker, Jim (Daniel Radcliffe,) to make sure that all the details of John’s essay are indeed factual. What you need to know is that John is brash and doesn’t care for the details as long as the essay reads well from a literary perspective, Emily is a no-nonsense editor, and Jim, well you’ll have to see the show to know about Jim.

The essay is about a 16-year-old boy committing suicide by jumping off the highest point of a hotel in Las Vegas and the things that took place on that particular day. And so, starts the play with Jim fact checking the first inaccuracy of whether 31 or 34 houses of ill repute shut down on that day due to the tragedy. That is in paragraph one. Let’s just say we don’t even get to paragraph two.

Although there is no mention of any of the current lies that are coming from the White House on a daily basis, the importance of fact-checkers has never been more relevant than they are today. We once lived in innocent times when fact-checkers were being eliminated by magazines and newspapers due to budget constraints; now they are working around the clock to keep up and catch all the lies and misrepresentations and herein lies Jim’s expertise.

As I mentioned earlier, the cast is impeccable. Starting with Daniel Radcliffe who has never been better and is able to display his sharp delivery and exude a presence lacking in his previous outings on Broadway. He was mainly known as the child actor who played in all the Harry Potter movies. He is no longer a child or Harry Potter; he is simply an actor doing his best job to date and if this play had opened in April of 2019, he would have been a sure contender for the Tony. As it is still only October, April is a long way off and some performances can be forgotten, but this one is indelible.

Bobby Cannavale gives passion to John and his belief in his essay, that although it may have holes in it, he believes that’s the way it happened, and he exudes strength in his justification. Cherry Jones, who always plays the centerpiece in every show, has a secondary role but of equal importance because she has to make the decision of what is right and what would be libelous. There is a lot of strength in her performance, dividing her energy between her essayist and her fact-checker.

Leigh Silverman has directed her cast with precision and expertise; not a line is thrown away and every gesture speaks volumes. The play is in constant motion and never lags for an instant. My one regret is the play is only running till January 13, 2019. What a shame it’s not like the olden days when a straight play had a life of its own and could run as long as it needed instead of a limited engagement.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published October 23, 2018
Reviewed at October 22, 2018 press performance.

‘THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT’: Bobby Cannavale. Photo: Peter Cunningham

‘THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT’: Cherry Jones. Photo: Peter Cunningham

‘THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT’: Daniel Radcliffe. Photo: Peter Cunningham

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‘HARRY POTTER’ STAR AS BILLY THE CRIPPLE: Daniel Radcliffe in ‘The Cripple of Inishmaan.’ Photo: Johann Persson

THE CRIPPLE OF INISHMAAN
Written by Martin McDonagh
Directed by Michael Grandage
Cort Theatre
138 West 48th Street, (212-239-6200), www.crippleofinishmaan.com

By Scott Harrah

Daniel Radcliffe has more than put the Harry Potter days behind him with his prolific body of stage work on both sides of the Atlantic. From Equus to How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying to starring in this Martin McDonagh import from London, Mr. Radcliffe has shed the famous film franchise and reinvented himself as a headliner on Broadway and the West End. So it might seem odd that, although he’s the star here, his is the least interesting character. In this dark comedy set on the rustic island of Inishmaan, in the Aran Islands off the coast of Ireland, the rural townsfolk have all the great lines, much of which are about Mr. Radcliffe’s Billy the Cripple, an orphan born with a disfigured left side, including a mangled leg and shriveled-up hand.  The play, thin on plot, seems more like a character study of rural Irish life in 1934 than anything else. If you can overlook the thick brogues and some uneven twists, much of what’s here is “fecking” hilarious (to borrow from the crazy vernacular of the island). If you’ve ever lived in a small town anywhere, know how gossipy rural people can be and have even a drop of Irish blood (or can appreciate the quirky charms of the Irish), the characters are especially familiar and raucously funny.

When news breaks that a Hollywood crew is shooting a film on a neighboring island, Billy hopes they will discover him, offering a chance to escape the island and go to America.

In Act One, we meet the many eccentric residents of the island, their off-the-wall slang and love of repeating things just for the hell of it. There are Billy’s “aunties”, sisters Eileen (Gillian Hanna) and Kate (Ingrid Craigie) Osbourne, both of whom raise him and also run the local grocery. They never have much available besides canned peas. Bartley McCormick (Conor MacNeill) likes to torment one of the sisters by asking if he can buy “sweeties” like “Minty-Os,” but her reply is always that she only has for sale that which he can see (canned peas). This repetitive, sing-song humor runs throughout the show, and the dialogue is often crisp and hilarious.

Billy secretly fancies Helen McCormick (Sarah Greene), the mean, red-headed sister of Bartley.  Her job is delivering eggs, but she spends most of her time in the Osbourne’s shop taunting Billy or her brother (and cracking eggs on people’s heads).

There is the town gossip Johnnypateenmike (Pat Shortt), who is eager to spread any tale, true or not, and is especially interested in prattle about Billy. He likes to keep his 90-year-old Mammy (June Watson) drunk, while she can’t wait to see him dead.  Others in the town include Babbybobby (Padraic Delaney), who rows people to nearby islands in a boat, and Doctor (Gary Lilburn).

The character of Billy is essentially a foil to everyone in Inishmaan. In Act One, Mr. Radcliffe gets few chances to show off his acting chops, but everyone else certainly does, as this is an ensemble piece. (Yes, listing Daniel Radcliffe as the headliner might be misleading, but big names sell tickets.) Tension mounts when we learn how Billy plans to leave the island, and whether he will ever return.

Playwright Martin McDonagh has a rare gift for black comedy and depicting reality with a twisted, farcical sensibility. He was at his most effective in this genre on Broadway in 2006’s The Lieutenant of Inishmore , a play about IRA terrorists on the island adjacent to Inishmaan.  This is actually the first in a series by Mr. McDonagh set in the Aran Islands (Inishmore was the second), first produced in London in 1996.

The humor in Inishmaan lies primarily in the exaggerated ways everyone reacts to Billy. We actually get to know just as much (if not more) about the supposed supporting characters than Billy himself, and things start making very little sense as Billy’s story unravels in Act Two.

Mr. McDonagh has penned better plays (The Pillowman and The Beauty Queen of Leenanne, for example). However, although this is far from a flawless work, the overall tale is wryly amusing and the characters unusually whimsical.

Director Michael Grandage does an amazing job of getting such distinct performances from everyone, and each is equally memorable and superb. Mr. Radcliffe, of course, is magnificent as always. Just don’t come to Inishmaan expecting it to all be about him. Do come, however, if you want to laugh for two and a half hours at crisp dialogue and some of the funniest, most unconventional characters on Broadway this season.

HOLLYWOOD DREAMS: In ‘Cripple of Inishmaan,’ Daniel Radcliffe dreams of being discovered by a film crew on a neighboring island. Photo: Johann Persson

The Cripple of Inishmann – 6 Tony Nominations, including: Best Drama Revival, Best Dramatic Supporting Actress – Sarah Greene, Best Director – Michael Grandage, Best Set Design, Best Lighting Design, & Best Sound Design.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published April 25, 2014
Reviewed at press performance April 24, 2014

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