Every Brilliant Thing at @Sohoplace Review
Written by Cathie for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
Trigger warnings: discussions of suicide, depression and flashing lights. If you are in need of support or find this topic challenging here are some ways you can find support: Andy’s Man Club for Men’s Mental Health, Samaritans and Mind Mental Health Helplines.
In life, it can be easy to lose sight of how precious our time on this planet is. Every Brilliant Thing is a play which seeks to change this by focusing on a man’s journey exploring the positive side of things after his mother attempted to shorten her life via suicide. Written by Duncan Macmillan with Jonny Donahoe and directed by Jeremy Herrin and Duncan Macmillan, this is a fascinating and life-affirming piece of theatre that demands an inclusive space, active participation, and a caring community among the audience.
Every Brilliant Thing has a short but powerful running time of 85 minutes, which works perfectly to keep the pace taut and avoid falling into any darker pitfalls this topic can easily invite. The show’s decade-long journey, from its 2014 Edinburgh Fringe debut to its West End premiere in 2025, is reflected in its profoundly polished dialogue and pacing. Its use of audience members to portray key figures adds a layer of joyful unpredictability and cheerful chaos, which adds many of the biggest laughs of the evening.
This show manages to poignantly deliver its themes of supporting mental health, the impact of an attempt on the family, the emotional impact a parent’s mental health challenges can have on their children’s lives and the importance of seeking help when needed. They are excellently integrated and balanced within this story without being heavy-handed and are portrayed with a high level of sincerity and empathy. It’s a difficult message to say so positively, but this show manages to do so in spades.
This play will be acted out by five fabulous actors during its run at @sohoplace Theatre. In order of appearance, the actors include Lenny Henry, Jonny Donahoe, Ambika Mod, Sue Perkins and Minnie Driver. For this press night, I witnessed Lenny Henry lead in this one-actor show. Lenny Henry displays a masterclass in acting. His genuine warmth, good humour and hard-earned wisdom shine through his role. His sincerity, empathy and cheeky aura led him to keep the entire audience on the edge of their seats or in fits of laughter throughout. He glows best in his ad libs in motivating random audience members to be key parts of the play, and his quick quips and retorts had us in an entire theatre standing ovation at the end.
This is a truly poignant powerhouse of a show which reminds you of the sheer joy of being alive and finding splendour and beauty in the ordinary things that make our short time on this earth that much more magical and worth living. If you need a reminder of how you are wonderful, unique, and the world is a better place for your being here, then this is the show for you. If you need a reminder of asking for help, bring one of the bravest and best things you can do, then this is a fantastic show for you. If you want inspiration on finding joy in your daily life and sharing it with loved ones, then this is the perfect show for you.
In the spirit of the show, here is a few of my suggestions to start my own list of every brilliant thing in no particular order:
1. The feeling of walking into an air conditioned theatre during the middle of a summer heatwave. 2. The smell of fresh popcorn in the cinema to watch Wicked.
3. The sound of a baby’s first giggle.
4. The taste of my best friend’s freshly baked bread.
5. The sight of a well deserved standing ovation from an entire theatre audience for an excellent performance of Every Brilliant Thing.
Every Brilliant Thing runs until 8th November 2025.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
