The narrator begins their story from when they were seven years old, and their mother has been taken to hospital because she has “done something stupid”. In fact, the something stupid she has done is to attempt to take her own life. The seven-year-old child decides on that day to start a list, a list of “everything brilliant about the world. Everything worth living for.” A list for mum.
This is the premise for Duncan Macmillan’s funny and heart-rending one-person show, Every Brilliant Thing. In fact, this is not really a one-person show, because although the narrator is telling us the story, the audience also plays an important part in creating the show in every performance. Members of the audience call out items on the list, several individuals are invited to play characters, and some of the props used in the show are sourced spontaneously from the audience. The one person whose show it has largely been for the last ten years, is comedian, writer and performer, Jonny Donahoe, who is also credited with co-creating the play.
The play that Duncan and Jonny created started life in 2013, and in the decade or so since it has been seen in over 70 countries around the world. As we record this episode, Every Brilliant Thing, has finally reached London’s West End, with a rotating cast of five different performers appearing as the narrator over its three-month run at the Soho Place theatre, including Jonny Donahoe, Lennie Henry, Ambika Mod, Sue Perkins and Minnie Driver.
The always-brilliant critic, Lyn Gardner, described Every Brilliant Thing as “one of the funniest plays you’ll ever see about depression.” She is spot on – it is funny and poignant and finally life affirming.
I am very privileged to be joined in this episode by the show’s two creators, Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahoe.
