Review: EVERY BRILLIANT THING at Theatre On The Bay is Life-Affirming and Tender

I knew very little when walking into EVERY BRILLIANT THING at Theatre on The Bay. I was unfamiliar with the text, which is originally a one-character script written by Duncan MacMillan with British comedian Jonny Donahoe, who also starred in the production during its initial premiere a decade ago. This is the production’s first official showing in South Africa, and is described by its creators as “an extraordinary theatrical experience”, keeping the finer details a mystery. Presented by Jeff Brooker Productions and Dean Goldblum, the production is not hosted in Theatre on The Bay’s main auditorium, but instead in a smaller performing space, creating a very intimate experience.

The set-up is simple, with no formal technical equipment or set pieces. There is also no elevated performance area, with the audience seated in a communal manner. Prior to the show starting, the production’s actor, Miguel de Sampaio, distributes papers with specific cues on them. When Miguel reads out the number on your paper, you must call back what is written on it. This might be panic-inducing for some shyer audience members - but the process and you will be rewarded with a reinvigorating theatre experience.

Miguel is the narrator of EVERY BRILLIANT THING and starts the show by reading out the numbers. Audience members start listing things, from “ice cream” to “people falling over”. These items are revealed to be part of a list the narrator created as a young boy after his mother attempted suicide. It is a list of every brilliant thing; reasons to stay alive, reasons why one should consider staying, and reasons to keep going. 

The play handles the topics of mental health and suicide with such nuance and tenderness, which greatly refreshing compared to other recent media that explores the same themes. The script is incredible; it is simple yet constructed in a way that engages and deepens as the show continues. Miguel does the text justice, giving a charismatic performance that makes it feel like the production is his own lived experience. He achieves the perfect balance between the show’s comedy and pathos.

His performance makes the production extra engaging, and eventually, it feels like the audience and performer are all sharing an experience that will leave them changed - which is a hallmark of truly good theatre. The show becomes a collaboration, with audiences shifting from witnesses to participants. Knowing looks are shared throughout - everyone is in on the joke. And when the show hits the heavier emotional beats, the audience swells with compassion. The show’s straightforward technical set-up affords it a lot of authenticity and versatility. However, some of the sound cues during our performance could have been a bit smoother, adding to the comedic and emotional timing of some story beats.

This production was a lovely surprise. Vague in description and small in scale, yet it offered one of the most electrifying theatre experiences I’ve had this year. It is a special, life-affirming show. In a time when hope feels like it’s slipping away and it's easy to despair, I suspect many will benefit from watching EVERY BRILLIANT THING. You will exit the theatre thinking of your own list; your reasons to keep going despite adversity. And on that note: this production definitely deserves its own spot on that list.

EVERY BRILLIANT THING will be showing at LAMTA Studio 1 - Theatre on The Bay until 2 December. Book your tickets on Quicket.

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