Daniel Radcliffe (Photo: Matthew Murphy)
Every Brilliant Thing
By Matthew Roland
Ice cream, a much-needed sneeze, the smell of old books, depression, suicide. After a child’s first encounter with loss comes a list of small, fleeting joys set against life’s heaviest realities. At its core, it’s one young man’s struggle to find brightness in the everyday while growing up in a fractured family. So he begins to compile a list of Every Brilliant Thing.
Written by Duncan Macmillan with Jonny Donahoe, this unconventional yet cleverly constructed play likely never envisioned a trajectory that would carry it all the way to Broadway. Its intimate structure seems better suited to smaller venues, yet with a brilliant concept, sharp direction, and an effervescent lead (Daniel Radcliffe), it comes fully to life at the Hudson Theatre on 44th Street.
Daniel Radcliffe’s performance is electric, captivating, playful, and at times almost too real. In the opening moments, I caught myself wondering, “Is this autobiographical?” a credit to the beautifully delivered first monologue. The play hinges on pacing, listening, and instinct, with each performance reshaped in real time as Radcliffe interacts with audience members portraying everyone from his father to his grief counselor and even his spouse. By the end of the show, I found myself wanting to return, if only to see how he responds to a new set of scene partners, a testament to the production’s remarkable re–watch–ability, fueled by its improvisational nature.
Daniel Radcliffe (Photo: Matthew Murphy)
Co-directors Jeremy Herrin and Duncan Macmillan create magic from the moment you walk into the theater, with Daniel Radcliffe already pacing the space, scouting audience members for their immersive take on the piece. They guide the play through soaring highs and tear-filled lows with remarkable control, making it feel as though Radcliffe has been left to run wild. The subject matter is difficult to navigate, yet Herrin and Macmillan strike a careful balance, allowing the audience room to breathe between waves of sorrow that anchor the piece.
With set and costume design by Vicki Mortimer, Radcliffe is dressed in simple, unobtrusive streetwear that allows him to move freely throughout the space. At the same time, Mortimer transforms the Hudson Theatre, exposing the brick walls at the back of the stage and revealing the bones of the theater itself, accented by clusters of hanging lightbulb pendants, while adding onstage seating to create a more intimate and immersive experience.
Daniel Radcliffe (Photo: Matthew Murphy)
A huge shoutout to the sound design by Tom Gibbons, who faced the challenging task of placing dozens, if not hundreds, of microphones throughout the theater to capture every word spoken, from audience members onstage with Radcliffe to those seated high in the balcony. Even the quietest, most hesitant participants are amplified, ensuring every voice can be heard throughout the space.
I went into this completely blind, not knowing what to expect, but as I left, I felt a sense of clarity: that we are in charge of our own happiness, and that noticing life’s small joys is just as important as its biggest milestones. Something as simple as ice cream can carry the same weight as waking up late beside someone you love. Every Brilliant Thing captures that truth in every brilliant way.
At the Hudson Theater
141 W 44th St.
Running time 1 hour 10 minutes, no intermission
Through May 24, 2026
