Taking place in the iconic space of Studio 54, The Lifespan of a Fact is a new play, starring Daniel Radcliffe, Cherry Jones, and Bobby Cannavale.
If Radcliffe’s name looks familiar, it’s because he also played the little-known role of Harry Potter.
Radcliffe is not a stranger to the stage; he has been in several New York and London productions.
I have previously seen him in the musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, as well as the play The Cripple of Inishmaan.
Both performances were triumphant, and this play is no exception from Radcliffe’s superb acting skills.
In The Lifespan of a Fact, Radcliffe plays Jim, a young Harvard graduate who is now a fact-checker for a magazine.
The play opens with a meeting with his editor, Emily, played by Jones, in which she asks him to look for any inaccuracies in an essay before it is published.
Emily warns him that the essay is by a popular author and the job is not a small undertaking.
This play is based on the true story of John D’Agata’s, played by Cannavale, essay “What Happens There,” about the Las Vegas suicide of teenager Levi Presley.
This essay is the one that Jim is assigned to analyze, but John’s arrogance causes him to reject all suggestions from Radcliffe’s character.
Hilarious bickering ensues between the two men; you’ll be laughing out loud during the play’s entire duration, despite the dark content within the essay.
Given only a weekend to complete his task, Jim seemingly goes without sleep as he contemplates every word of the essay.
Jim is overly eager to prove himself and he delves into more details than his editor ever expected.
There is a screen on stage that displays the days passing by, as well as the inquisitive emails that Jim sends to John.
This was a great use of modern technology and a unique way to indicate scene changes.
The play’s unexpected turn comes when John calls Emily to complain about Jim’s nerviness.
When the lights come up, it is revealed that Jim is sleeping on John’s couch.
Not only did he show up in the middle of the night to check if the house actually has a draft, since that’s what the essay states, but he flew from New York to Las Vegas to accomplish the obsessive task.
One of best moments is when Jim presents a chart that he made, to decide if one detail in the essay could really be described as a “traffic jam.”
Jim gives a crazed explanation of the math that he did, proving that there could have never been enough cars on the highway to qualify as a “jam.”
John watches him with a disturbed expression, and the entire audience erupted with laughter.
Emily then flies out to Vegas to settle the dispute.
Upon Emily’s arrival, she asks Jim to give her a moment of privacy to talk to John.
Where does he end up hiding away? In a cupboard under the stairs.
This served as a very funny full-circle moment for Harry Potter fans.
A unique feature of the play is that it is only one act, running for about 95 minutes with no intermission.
I worried about the lack of intermission, but the production is very fast moving, and I was so engrossed in the plot that my mind didn’t even consider taking a bathroom break.
Overall, the small cast of three was captivating, but Radcliffe was the true star. He brought most of the laughs out of the audience, as well as the loudest applause at the end. His timing is impeccable, and he steals every scene.
The play is currently in previews, and its 16-week limited engagement is scheduled to end on Jan. 13.
If you’re lucky like me, you’ll have a cool aunt who surprises you with a ticket.
But if not, prices are fair for Broadway, starting at only $79.
This was my favorite stage performance from Radcliffe, and I would advise anyone to take a trip to the city for this show.
IMAGE TAKEN from theatermania.com
PHOTO TAKEN BY Jenna Puglisi
