Having spoken openly of losing his virginity, his battles with alcoholism, and the perils of global celebrity, Daniel Radcliffe would seem to be at a disadvantage when it comes to a private life. Which may well be why he was attracted to James Graham’s “Privacy,” a witty and alarming new drama about the extent to which we’ve surrendered, knowingly or inadvertently, that most precious human value. The 26-year-old actor returns to the stage this summer for a limited engagement at the Public Theater in the starring role simply known as “The Writer,” a thinly veiled version of Graham himself. His interactions include those with a psychiatrist and the intimate exchanges between them contrast with the exposure he is subjected to on social media. Audience members are complicit throughout the action of the play because they are asked to keep their cell phones powered up but in silent mode. As explained in a rave review in Variety when the show opened at London’s Donmar Warehouse in 2014, that is because an onstage researcher is processing data on a laptop using audience members’ addresses gleaned from information provided when tickets were bought with a credit card. “The demonstration of the amount of information that can be built up produces audible gasps,” wrote critic David Benedict, “not least in an audacious piece of audience participation that’s worth the price of admission.”Graham, best known in London for “This House” and in New York for “Finding Neverland,” developed the play with Josie Rourke, the Donmar’s artistic director, who also directs the production. What may be playful in the first part takes on darker tones in the second when the extent of government surveillance, secrecy, and political power pivot around Edward Snowden’s revelations. Graham’s vision “…is not exactly dystopic,” adds Benedict, “but his revelation of how governments and commerce have moved surreptitiously from the realm of spy-fiction into everyday intrusion is shocking.”Given Apple’s fight with the United States government over unlocking the cellphone of the San Bernardino terrorists, “Privacy” couldn’t be timelier. The production is only slated to run from July 5-August 7, but if Radcliffe’s schedule allows, this may be yet another Broadway transfer for the Public Theater, which is on a quite a roll recently: “Fun Home,” “Hamilton,” and “Eclipsed” are already in residence.Since achieving extraordinary success in the “Harry Potter” film franchise, Radcliffe has been a ubiquitous presence on Broadway, having starred in “Equus,” “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” and “The Cripple of Inishmaan.” Although none of those were blockbusters, “Privacy” may be his most viable commercial outing yet, combining his star power with a topical subject appealing both to and well beyond his core audience. One tip to ticket buyers might be in order: If you’d rather not be profiled during the show, pay cash at the box-office.
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