At the end of February, ARTfactory will present the critically acclaimed one-man play, Every Brilliant Thing. This deeply moving yet incredibly funny play takes an intimate look at the highs and lows of joy and despair, as seen through the eyes of a single storyteller.
In response to their mother’s attempted suicide, and in the hopes of understanding her better, a child begins a list of Every Brilliant Thing worth living for: Ice cream, water fights, staying up past your bedtime and being allowed to watch TV. As the child journeys into adulthood, they continue telling the story of the list and in the process, remind us of the power of human connection, the beauty in the everyday, and the importance of holding on to hope, even in our darkest moments.
Written by Duncan Macmillan with Jonny Donohoe, the play uses sadness and humor, sweetness and honesty, silliness and poignancy to bring insight into the subject of loving someone with mental illness. Although aspects of mental health are approached from a positive perspective, and the play is about resilience and hope, Every Brilliant Thing does address the topics of depression and suicide.
Directed by ARTfactory Producing Artistic Director, Kimberly Kemp, the play stars David Johnson as the story-teller. Johnson, a long-time ARTfactory director and actor, had been hoping to perform Every Brilliant Thing for several years. “I remember (in 2017) telling the theatre arts director of the ArtFactory about this breathtakingly beautiful play and how badly I wanted to do it in the theatre on the third floor of the ARTfactory.” In 2022, when Kemp mentioned she wanted to direct the show, the collaboration was inevitable.
The production is personal for both Johnson and Kemp who have experienced this type of loss. Johnson speaks candidly about the loss of an ARTfactory’s Pied Piper Theatre youth, “He reminded me of the character in the [Every Brilliant Thing] because he was so fearless in his creativity and expression.” He goes on to mention individuals like Robin Williams, who spent a lifetime entertaining the world, while hiding a darkness that covers them constantly. Johnson’s hope is that this production openly explores that premise and encourages healthy conversations regarding seeking support for those in need.
Every Brilliant Thing was first produced in June 2013, by Paines, Plough and Pentabus Theatre at the Ludlow Fringe Festival, performed by Jonny Donahoe. Its North American premiere, also performed by Donahoe, was at the Barrow Street Theatre, NYC, in December 2014. Every Brilliant Thing was a Lucille Lortel Award Nominee for Outstanding Solo Show.
The play will be performed in an intimate in-the-round setting, and involves audience participation. All participation is optional. The production may be enjoyed with or without directly participating. It should also be noted that although the play uses humor when telling this reverent story, Every Brilliant Thing does discuss the topic of suicide and this may be triggering for some audience members.
Performances of Every Brilliant Thing will be held on February 28 and March 1 at 7:30 PM and March 2 at 2:00 in the Wind River Theater at the ARTfactory. Tickets can be purchased on the ARTfactory website at www.virginiaartfactory.org.
