ED2015 4/5 Reviews ED2015 Theatre Reviews

Every Brilliant Thing (Paines Plough and Pentabus Theatre Company)

By Rebecca Jacobson | Published on Sunday 23 August 2015

Returning to Edinburgh after a stint Off-Broadway, ‘Every Brilliant Thing’ is as heart-rending as it is uproarious. Written by Duncan Macmillan, this one-man show follows an unnamed narrator (Jonny Donahoe) as he recounts growing up with a suicidal mother. After she first attempts to kill herself, the 7-year-old starts making a list of everything that’s brilliant: ice cream, the colour yellow, people falling over. He keeps adding to it as he grows up, falls in love and experiences his own bouts of depression. It’s a beautiful story, but the real master stroke is how the boundlessly congenial Donahoe involves the audience. After all, how many performers could so lovingly convince someone to remove their socks and shoes – twice?

Roundabout @ Summerhall, until 30 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Rebecca Jacobson]