Forget The Swearing, Neil Patrick Harris' 'Hedwig And The Angry Inch' Is A Soaring Success

Hedwig and the Angry Inch has finally made its debut on Broadway, showcasing Neil Patrick Harris' much-publicised turn as the titular transgender German rock singer in this eagerly anticipated Broadway musical.

Neil Patrick Harris Has Made Waves As Transgender Singer Hedwig In His New Play.

The production made headlines earlier this week after the How I Met Your Mother star unexpectedly broke the fourth wall during his performance to shout and swear at a fan in the audience. A supporter reportedly yelled out "I love you, Neil!" while the actor was on stage as Hedwig. Rather than ignore the heckler, Harris responded in character: "I'm doing something up here, motherf****r!"

The audience apparently loved it at the time in a show that promotes improvisation and audience participation but after criticism via Twitter, Harris felt compelled to set the record straight: "Take a breath," Harris told an angered observer, adding "I'm playing a character. Who is harsh. That's the show. That's Hedwig."

The Production Celebrates Music, Fashion And Comedy.

Luckily, this slight controversy was swept aside when it came to the first critics filing their reviews of director Michael Mayer's loud and garish show. USA Today praises Mayer, writing, "Harris, under Michael Mayer's razor-sharp direction, serves it with a blazingly entertaining and ultimately moving performance. The humour here is darker and rawer than the material that has endeared Harris to Tv audiences, but he brings the same affable, slightly naughty charm."

See more photos from the opening night of 'Hedwig and the Angry Inch' in our gallery.

The New York Times' Ben Brantley couldn't fault Harris performance, gushing "Harris is in full command of who he is and, most excitingly, what he has become with this performance. That's a bona fide Broadway star, the kind who can rule an audience with the blink of a sequined eyelid."

Harris' Performance Is Marked As Stand-Out By Critics.

THR's David Rooney adds his praise to the mix: "Harris smoothly marries Borscht Belt shtick with a self-serious songspiel style reminiscent of Ute Lemper, spicing his performance with improvisational touches and audience exchanges ranging from flirty asides to a lap-dance. Snugly encased in the character, he recounts the lurid specifics of Hedwig's life, exposing the scars of her painful past."

Describing the musical as "aural pleasure," The Guardian's Alexis Soloski rules: "If deliberately provocative and libidinous, Hedwig packs a stronger emotional wallop than most Broadway musicals.

Don't Miss 'Hedwig And The Angry Inch'!

The critic continues, praising Stephen Trask's music: "Despite the blaring sound mix, a few songs, such as The Origin of Love, based on a speech of Aristophanes, Midnight Radio and Wicked Little Town, give you chills, aided by the harmonies of Lena Hall as Hedwig's husband, Yitzhak."

More: Neil Patrick Harris' rep explains stage swearing incident.

More: Neil Patrick Harris battled insecurities for 'Hedwig...' role.