The second thing: absolutely no one thinks he can sing. You root for Daniel Radcliffe, who stars in the revival of Frank Loesser’s “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” though Rob Ashford’s production is charm free. Singing and dancing, on the other hand ... Well, if you accept the lead role in a Broadway musical then there is only so much uncertainty to hide behind. With Robert Morse, Michele Lee, Rudy Vallee, Anthony 'Scooter' Teague. WITH: Daniel Radcliffe (J. Pierrepont Finch), John Larroquette (J. Trying to succeed: Daniel Radcliffe and Tammy Blanchard in Rob Ashford's production. This blank-slate aspect is unconditionally supported by the prevailing blankness of Mr. Radcliffe’s face. How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying Daniel Radcliffe to star in reading October 9, 2009 Broadway’s musical Mary Poppins welcomes the West End’s original ‘Mary’, Olivier Award winner Laura Michelle Kelly , and Tony Award nominee Christian Borle … (The original book, to which this version sticks closely, is as well built as Hedy La Rue, the show’s resident lust object, played here by Tammy Blanchard.). Daniel Radcliffe is hoofing away on Broadway leading the cast of the hit How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying revival. It’s a guaranteed winner. That makes Mr. Radcliffe the only reason to see the show, and contrary to what the title suggests, this young actor really, really tries. The first thing: everybody wishes young Radcliffe well. Music and lyrics by Frank Loesser; book by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert, based on the book by Shepherd Mead; directed and choreographed by Rob Ashford; music direction and arrangements by David Chase; sets by Derek McLane; costumes by Catherine Zuber; lighting by Howell Binkley; sound by Jon Weston; hair and wig design by Tom Watson; orchestrations by Doug Besterman; music coordinator, Howard Joines; production stage manager, Michael J. Passaro; associate director, Stephen Sposito; associate choreographer, Christopher Bailey; production manager, Juniper Street Productions; general managers, Alan Wasser-Allan Williams, Mark Shacket; associate producers, Stage Ventures 2010 Limited Partnership; executive producer, Beth Williams. But the show’s book writers (Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert) failed to give Ponty any defining traits beyond all-consuming ambition. On April 21 Radcliffe and … ". Rob Bartlett is both grumpy and twinkly as two different managerial types. The hair-raising tour de force not only is great fun for everybody, but it also fits the themes of the piece." Loesser’s songs are wonderful, of course, top-of-the-line models of tuneful wit and economy. Its leading man is Daniel Radcliffe, the little wizard that could from the Harry Potter movies; and while Mr. Radcliffe is clearly not to the musical manner born, I would give him, oh, a 6 out of 10. Running time: 2 hours 40 minutes. Bingo! B. Biggley), Tammy Blanchard (Hedy La Rue), Christopher J. Hanke (Bud Frump), Rob Bartlett (Mr. Twimble/Wally Womper), Mary Faber (Smitty), Ellen Harvey (Miss Jones), Michael Park (Mr. Bratt), Rose Hemingway (Rosemary Pilkington) and Anderson Cooper (the Voice of the Narrator). Jo Sullivan Loesser, the widow of the composer Frank Loesser, narrates a look at the new Broadway revival of "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. But … He’s a tabula rasa who absorbs his professional bible’s lessons on whom to stroke and how. He portrays the self-invented J. Pierrepont Finch, a boyish man without a discernible past who — by systematically following the rules of a book that shares its title with this musical — works his way ever upward at the World Wide Wicket Company in New York City. Whenever Ponty smiles at his latest stroke of good fortune (a change in expression wittily underlined by music and lighting), it’s a wee bit chilling. "Radcliffe relaxes enough to revel in the controlled chaos," writes Elysa Gardner. Matthew Broderick brought to the 1995 Broadway revival a “take me I’m yours” passivity that verged on the robotic but won him a Tony anyway. Meanwhile, when he leads the show’s big finale, the satirical rouser “Brotherhood of Man,” you can be forgiven for thinking it might better be titled “Brotherhood of Manikins.”. But they aren’t rendered here with the conviction that might make them ring new. ", Yet, despite all this, with something that the less imaginative critics cannot resist calling wizardry, Radcliffe survives. How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying is a musical with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock, and Willie Gilbert, based on Shepherd Mead’s 1952 book of the same name. Radcliffe's own semi-competence just happens to be suited perfectly for the part! You can almost hear an unseen coach’s voice whispering to Mr. Radcliffe, telling him when to do what. ", Even the show's best review, in USA Today, comes to much the same conclusion. O.K., maybe the title needs work. Oh, yes, the recorded voice of the newscaster Anderson Cooper is heard as the narrator, exuding an appropriate deadpan wryness. How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying Souvenir Brochure. At the Al Hirschfeld Theater, 302 West 45th Street, Manhattan; (212) 239-6200; telecharge.com. Rose Hemingway is pretty and squeaky as the secretary who sets her cap for Ponty. This 21-year-old British actor, who made a creditable Broadway debut as the psycho stable boy in “Equus” in 2008, conscientiously hits his choreographic marks, speaks his lines quickly and distinctly (with a convincing American accent) and often sings on key. That feels like a pretty apt description of Radcliffe himself in his first Broadway musical. The story concerns young, ambitious J. Pierrepont Finch, who, with the help of the book How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying , rises from window washer to chairman of the board of … A 1995 revival was mounted at the same theater as the original production (now named the Richard Rodgers Theatre), and ran for 548 performances, and starred Matthew Broderick and Megan Mullally. "Radcliffe's skills do not include showmanship, an attribute this slick part cries out for. The march 2011 revival starred Daniel Radcliffe and John Larroquette, Darren Criss succeeded Radcliffe in the role of J. Pierrepont Finch for a limited three week engagement which started on January 3, 2012 and continued until January 22. Large Format Great Information on the show and cast also includes colour pictures from the show a must for any collector. "He shows off a pleasant singing voice," Dziemianowicz says, "but he's waxen and not animated enough to make Finch soar. But you don’t particularly want his character in the show to succeed, and that really is a problem. The musical opened at the 46th Street Theatre on Broadway in October 1961, running for 1,417 performances. Theatregold.com Includes DataBase, Reviews, Theatre Seat  New York, Video Wall featuring old and new clips, Pictures Galleries, Showbiz News, TheatreGold Memorabilia Playbills also called Programs and of course Souvenir Brochures from plays, musicals and movies, posters and books everything to keep you happy for hours. Theater Review | 'How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying'. Daniel Radcliffe stars in Rob Ashford’s revival of the musical “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” at the Al Hirschfeld Theater. B. Biggley, the head of World Wide Wicket, John Larroquette (best known for television’s “Night Court”) provides some funny throwaway line readings, though he also frequently throws away clear diction. "He was the boy who looked like Harry Potter, therefore Hollywood made him Harry Potter ... Radcliffe, Equus aside, has always given off a just-happy-to-be-here vibe. Photograph: Joe Corrigan/Getty Images, f this series proves anything, it is that the quality of people's acting will always be a matter of opinion. All Orders incur a $5.00 handling fee (including free shipping), Theatre gold is for everyone who loves the theatre, movies and music, and have lots of wonderful theatre memories that have become a part of your lives and all the new ones into the future. There’s little doubt that audiences will feel like rooting for Mr. Radcliffe in Rob Ashford’s charm-free revival of Frank Loesser’s 1961 musical about corporate ladder climbing. Which makes this probably a good time to quit. You know “Dancing With the Stars”? The dancing features a lot of the dervish twirls and 90-to-180-degree kicks that Mr. Ashford favored in recent London revivals of “Evita” and “Guys and Dolls,” as well as in “Promises, Promises.” (High kicking and twirling are evidently common to all times and places.) But you don't particularly want his character in the show to succeed, and that really is a problem. Accept the lead role in a musical and there's nowhere to hide, Daniel Radcliffe. The show won seven Tony Awards, the New York Drama Critics Circle award, and the 1962 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. This Beautiful Souvenir Brochure is from the 2011 Broadway Production OBC. He’s like some super automaton who has been thrust into their midst both to mock and eliminate them. "He doesn't have to play the role like a Broadway wiseguy," notes Chris Jones in the Chicago Tribune, "he can play him as a risk-taking, flying-by-the-seat-of-his-pants kid. It was left to whoever played him to provide the extras, like a personality.