Harry's a Hit!

Last night marked the opening of Daniel Radcliffe's Broadway bow in "Equus," the tale of a boy and his horse.  Sort of.  While most people purchased tickets to this show (which was a hit on London's West End due to large amounts of Harry Potter nudity), it turns out, the critics actually think the show is pretty good (or rather, they think Radcliffe and his co-star, Richard Griffiths are).  Check out what some of New York's more respected critics had to say:

NYTimes.com (Ben Brantley) - "The young wizard has chosen wisely. Making his Broadway debut in Thea Sharrock’s oddly arid revival of Peter Shaffer’s “Equus,” which opened Thursday night at the Broadhurst Theater, the 19-year-old film star Daniel Radcliffe steps into a mothball-preserved, off-the-rack part and wears it like a tailor’s delight — that is, a natural fit that allows room to stretch."

The Daily News (Joe Dziemianowicz) - "Let's get right to it - Daniel Radcliffe, the marquee man-boy and the reason "Equus" has trotted back to Broadway.  Yes, he's terrific and gives a passionate performance as Alan Strang, the 17-year-old stable hand who worships - and blinds - six horses. Yes, he's nude in a scene, but not gratuitously. And yes, he's (at least partially) in good company in the revival of Peter Shaffer's play, which intrigues but shows its age"

New York Post (Clive Barnes) - "Despite his almost total lack of stage experience - seven years of Potter in his magic kingdom suggest Shirley Temple rather than Laurence Olivier - Radcliffe, with his luminously intense eyes and fragile but wiry body, looks wonderfully right as Alan, the 17-year-old British boy besotted by everything equine.  His acting, beautifully understated and withdrawn, has just the right manner for this horribly mixed-up adolescent, at the prey of a wayward religiosity and a twisted sexuality cemented together with suburban hypocrisy"

So, it's official.  Daniel Radcliffe is going to turn out to be a good actor.  And if you haven't already purchased tickets to Equus (like yours truely), you sure aren't going to get them now.