In my role as a critic, I see a lot of shows. While I enjoy many of them, I rarely leave planning to buy tickets for my family. However, by the end of Every Brilliant Thing starring Daniel Radcliffe (yes-the Harry Potter guy), I wanted to stop at the box office on the way out.

Despite some impressive theater work and even a Tony for Best Supporting Actor in the recent revival of Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along, Radcliffe will always be known as Harry Potter.

Although Every Brilliant Thing is a one-man show, it involves the entire audience at the Hudson Theater. As a result, there’s a buzz in the theater before the 70 - minute show begins as Radcliffe and his assistants seek willing participants. They find several in the audience and escort them to seats on the stage. A few of them will have speaking roles but no scripts so they, like the star, will improvise. Others are merely given cards from which they will read aloud when their number is called. A young vivacious woman seated next to me was selected to go onstage. She became the librarian/school counselor and was impressive!

The unnamed Narrator begins his story when he is seven as he describes the death of his dog and best friend, Indiana Bones. Using props that he gets from the audience onstage, the Narrator recounts his first experience with death, using one audience member’s jacket and another's pen. These props and others change with the audience and will determine the flow of the dialogue. Each performance will be different. However, it requires that Radcliffe as Narrator be sharp and creative and ready to improvise.

The show is about depression and suicide and parental relationships, and delivers some powerful messages. At the same time, it is incredibly upbeat and positive. The Narrator even reads from a suicide prevention organization brochure advising that news of famous suicides not be featured on the front pages or glamorized. Referring to Marilyn Monroe’s death, he notes that when a famous person commits suicide, the number of suicides rises. One book he discusses suggests that suicide is a form of adiction.

The show, written by playwright Duncan MacMillan with Jonny Donahoe 12 years ago, is fast-paced and joyous although it is about how a young man deals with his mother’s depression and suicide. After her first attempt, he makes a list of what makes life worth living (#1 is Ice Cream- certainly makes the top of my personal list. ) To his dismay his mother never seems to read or even comment on the list. As the Narrator calls out a number, audience members with that number calls out their Brilliant Thing. (No. 516 - Winning something No. 521- The word ‘blurb” )

I honestly had no idea what the play was about until I got there so some of the joy I felt was in the unexpected audience interaction. Even if you kind of know what to expect , Every Brilliant Thing, directed by Jeremy Herrin and Duncan MacMillan, offers much- laughter, talent, as well as something to think about.

The play is a limited run and tickets are selling well. Even if you can’t make it to the theater, maybe you should begin to make your own list. You would be happier and it might lead to a nicer world.