HARRY POTTER - POTTER STAR WINS PRAISE IN NAKED ROLE

In a calculated effort to escape typecasting, Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe has debuted in a revival of Peter Shaffer's Equus in London, a role that calls for him to appear on stage naked, simulate sex, and smoke. In an interview with the Associated Press, Radcliffe said that he had taken the role in order "to shake up people's perception of me." The wire service commented: "On those grounds, the play is already a success." Parents, religious and anti-smoking groups in the U.K. have expressed outrage over Radcliffe's decision. Reviews of the play itself were mixed, with many critics calling it dated. But most critics gave Radcliffe's performance high marks. Charles Spencer, in today's (Wednesday) Daily Telegraph, remarked that the young actor "brilliantly succeeds in throwing off the mantle of Harry Potter, announcing himself as a thrilling stage actor of unexpected range and depth." Wrote Michael Billington in The Guardian: "Forget all the prurient press speculation about Harry Potter's private parts. ... The revelation in this revival is that Daniel Radcliffe really can act."

28/02/2007