12/ 08/ 2011
If you’re in New York, and haven’t seen How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying yet, you better hurry and go before Daniel Radcliffe makes his final appearance on January 1.
Set in the big business world of the 1960s, How to Succeed captures both the fresh feel and the glamour of that time. It tells the story of an ambitious young man named J. Pierrepoint Finch – Radcliffe – who does whatever is necessary to make it in the business world.
Technically the stage is a marvel. The color palate of the costumes is visually stunning and helps establish each character. The sets are a wonderful meld of 60s mod with contemporary stage affects, making the show flow smoothly from one scene to the next. The choreography is risky, implementing intricate partnering, flashy moments and machismo movements. Somehow the combination works and the dance numbers are stunning.
The ensemble has quite a task. Seeing as they are present in almost every scene, it’s a miracle they make it till the end—talk about stamina! They were unlike a typical chorus line in that each seemed to have an emotional range that normally isn’t present. They were truly players in each scene aiding in the progression of the show.
One of the female leads, Rosemary, captured the aspirations of the stereotypical 1960s secretary perfectly. Rose Hemmingway brought a romantic quality to the character that was refreshing. However, as the show progressed, she seemed to loss steam. Hemmingway was sweet and fun to watch, but she wasn’t particularly memorable.
J.B. Biggley acted by John Larroquette – who won the 2011 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical – was aggressive, having lots of bark and little bite. His physicality is what made his character compelling. He used flirtatious almost girlish gestures to really sale his punch lines and boy were we sold. His character had so many layers and I only wanted to see more of them. He’s the jester of the show while also redefining what makes a funny-man funny through the complexities of his part.
Radcliffe stole the show. I heard he was great, but I never imagined he would be that good. It’s clear that he did his research on the character. He captured Finch’s naivety perfectly but added a clever, sneaky and assertive presence that made you really understand who he was. Despite Finch’s backstabbing ways, you liked him, and it was Radcliffe’s portrayal that made this possible. One of my favorite moments was Radcliffe singing “I Believe in You” while hovering over a bathroom sink. His level of vulnerability at that moment was so palpable and raw it felt so real and relatable.
It looks like the days of being known only as “the boy who lived” are over. Radcliffe proved that he truly is talented and serious about his craft. His acting has never been better and while he’s certainly a better dancer than singer, his acuity for the stage is clear. I’d say that Broadway has found their newest Golden Boy—and what a find he is.
Leave a Reply