'So darn adorable' and 'delightful' Daniel Radcliffe wows New York as he makes his musical debut on Broadway

By Georgina Littlejohn for The Daily Mail

For the past ten years, Daniel Radcliffe has been known as the Boy Who Lived as he portrayed the world-famous and beloved character of Harry Potter.

But boy wizards have to grow up sometime and with the final film instalment due to hit our screens this summer, the young actor has finally left Hogwarts far behind him.

On the other side of the Atlantic, to be precise, as last night he shook off his Harry Potter tag once and for all as he wowed Broadway and received rave reviews as he made his eagerly-anticipated musical debut.

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Standing ovation: Daniel Radcliffe revels in the applause from the Broadway audience and his cast mates after the opening night of How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying

Radcliffe, 21, is currently starring as the lead in the 50th anniversary revival of the 1961 musical How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying.

And last night, after a month of previews, the play officially open to the public, who flocked inside the Al Hirschfeld Theatre.

Radcliffe plays J. Pierrepont Finch, who relies on the rules of a  guidebook called How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, to climb the corporate ladder and go from window washer to chairman of the board.

Take a bow: Radcliffe grabs his cast mates hands as they soak up the cheers during the curtain call

Radcliffe is no stranger to treading the boards, having starred in Equus in 2007 in the West End and on Broadway the following year, as Alan Strang, a stable boy who has an obsession with horses.

He also appeared as guest in The Play What I Wrote, a celebration of comedy duo Morecambe and Wise, which was directed by Kenneth Branagh, who starred in the second Harry Potter film.

But this was Radcliffe's musical debut and while critics had mixed thoughts on his singing ability, they all were in agreement that he did a good job.

Won't take all the glory: Radcliffe came out in the stage alone for his own applause but made sure his cast mates were recognised too

Elysa Gardner from USA Today said he was a 'servicable tenor' and had 'sufficient rhythmic savvy to handle Loesser's jaunty, jazz-tinged score'.

She added: 'If Radcliffe doesn't provide a study in loosey-goosey virtuosity, he certainly captures and savors the joy. In fact, Radcliffe ultimately succeeds not by overshadowing his fellow cast members, but by working in conscientious harmony with them - and having a blast in the process.'

WHAT THE CRITICS SAID

Mark Kennedy, AP: 'His voice is nice, but thin and he strains to fill the theater. Somehow it doesn't matter. He works so hard that we're on his side even if he, like his character, doesn't have the creds.'

Ben Brantley, New York Times: 'This 21-year-old British actor conscientiously hits his choreographic marks, speaks his lines quickly and distinctly (with a convincing American accent) and often sings on key.'

Joe Dziemianowicz, New York Daily News: 'His current transformation into a song-and-dance man isn't quite so convincing.'

Elysa Gardner, USA Today: 'Radcliffe ultimately succeeds not by overshadowing his fellow cast members, but by working in conscientious harmony with them.'

The Associated Press's Mark Kennedy said he was 'so darn adorable' that 'pockets of smitten teenage girls in the audience will be rooting for his unlikely rise from window washer to chairman of the board'.

He commented on his singing ability and said: 'To be blunt, Radcliffe is not a Broadway singer. His voice is nice, but thin and he strains to fill the theatre - American Idol judge Randy Jackson would call it "pitchy". Somehow it doesn't matter.

'He works so hard that we're on his side even if he, like his character, doesn't have the creds.
'Radcliffe has somehow telegraphed enough personal guts, tenacity and good humor that the audience doesn't hold it against his smarmy character.

Ben Brantley from the New York Times wrote: 'Mr. Radcliffe is clearly not to the musical manner born, I would give him, oh, a 6 out of 10.'

But he added that he was also the 'only reason to see the show and added: 'There’s little doubt that audiences will feel like rooting for Mr. Radcliffe. This 21-year-old British actor conscientiously hits his choreographic marks, speaks his lines quickly and distinctly (with a convincing American accent) and often sings on key.'

Philly.com, Philadelphia's 24-hour news website said: 'Those dancing lessons Radcliffe took, as he emerged from a film-acting life as Harry Potter, paid off; he executes the show's sometimes complex, quick choreography easily with one of Broadway's best current ensembles.
'The singing instruction is not quite as successful, but Radcliffe is more than passable.'

Gracious: Radcliffe humbly opens in his arms in thanks to thunderous applause from the sold-out audience

What would Harry say?! Radcliffe's Finch is seduced by Tammy Blanchard's character, the flamboyant and seductive mistress of boss J.B Biggley, Hedy LaRue

But Joe Dziemianowicz from the New York Daily News wasn't so complimentary and wrote: 'His current transformation into a song-and-dance man isn't quite so convincing.
'Making his first foray into musical comedy, Radcliffe is a likeable but very boyish presence. He shows off a pleasant singing voice as corporate climber J. Pierrepont Finch, but he's waxen and not animated enough to make Finch soar.'
This summer, Radcliffe will team up with his Harry Potter co-stars Emma Watson and Rupert Grint to promote the second part of The Deathly Hallows, the seventh and last installment of the Harry Potter films.

A job well done: Radcliffe attends the after-party with co-star Rose Hemingway, who plays secretary Rosemary Pilkington

On his way to the top: Radcliffe and John Larroquette - who plays the company boss J.B Biggley