Every Brilliant Thing at Soho Place
An improv play can dramatically change when passed on to different performers. Every Brilliant Thing has always been at the core the same, and yet, always different since its debut at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2014. For the last ten years, it has travelled from country to country and passed on, after the original actor (and co-creator) Jonny Donahoe, to other interpreters. And only this August, it received its West End premiere, not by one, but by five performers. Last night, it was the debut of Sue Perkins.
The plot revolves around a vast list of brilliant things, from generic (but not to be taken for granted) items, such as ice cream, beds and oranges, to very specific elements, such as actions and feelings, that are enjoyable and amaze the attentive observer. The list was the idea of a seven-year-old child to encourage and comfort his mother, after she had just attempted to end her life. The child narrates how the idea came about and how it developed as he grew up, with all the highs and lows that life can bring on.
Along this storyline, there are lots of moments of audience participation, whether just to pronounce a sentence or to interpret a part on stage. Before the show begins, we see Perkins wandering around to identify the best individuals for each point and checking that they are up for it. As the play goes, the people called upon are obviously only vaguely aware of what to expect – it can be seen on their faces – and still they join in with character and mirth. The communal sense this production delivers – thanks also to the in-the-round setting – is amazing. Whether on the raised platform or as part of the full crowd, the audience joins in with an unplanned but joyous sense of involvement.
Each narrator – Jonny Donahoe, Ambika Mod, Sue Perkins, Minnie Driver and Lenny Henry – has tweaked the loose script according to their own identity and style. Perkins is incredible in her comedic timing: she swiftly picks up hints from the audience members with a light spirit. However, she also moves to the most serious moments (which have been well-balanced thoroughly by Donahoe and his co-creator Duncan Macmillan) with gentleness. She wants to clearly stress firm messages around mental health, relationships and therapy, without excessive somberness that would have put at risk not just the rhythm of this single act, but, on a bigger scale, the impact of the show itself. The result is a flowing comedy that entertains, yet inspires – a “comedy with a heart”, exactly as Perkins has recently described in an interview.
Cristiana Ferrauti
Photos: Danny Kaan
Every Brilliant Thing is at Soho Place from 1st August until 8th November 2025. For further information or to book, visit the theatre’s website here.
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