Review of preview performance, 4 October 2023
Content warnings: Adult Themes, Mental Health themes, References to self-harm, References to Suicide, Themes of Grief.
Jason Klarwein gave an exceptional performance as the narrator of Every Brilliant Thing, a heartfelt one-man play about mental illness and making magic from the mundane.
The first time his mother is hospitalised for trying to end her own life, a young boy begins to write her a list of every brilliant thing – all the reasons to stay alive and in the world. Ice cream. Water fights. Wearing a cape. Staying up past your bedtime and being allowed to watch TV. As the narrator grows, so does the list; increasingly detailed things are added as he gets older, moves out, goes to university, falls in love, and faces his own struggles with mental health. What begins as a list of favourite things becomes an outlook, focusing on the small and specific moments that bring a spark of light when the world seems very dark.
Every Brilliant Thing was written by Duncan Macmillan and co-created with Jonny Donahoe, who was the show’s original narrator and performed it over 400 times across four continents. In this 2023 Brisbane production, directed by Timothy Wynn, Jason Klarwein plays the narrator with Tom Yaxley as alternate performer.
Klarwein’s character narrated the play in one continuous monologue, interspersed with warm audience interactions that were facilitated well by the intimate setting. Audience members were called upon to add to the list of brilliant things, reading from a card on their chair, or to contribute a prop, and some became characters in the play itself – the narrator’s father, a veterinarian, a school counsellor, a university professor.
Audience participation can be daunting and unpredictable from both sides, especially given the emotional terrain of this work, but Klarwein handled all of this with smiling affability, gently guiding and prompting when needed. In embracing the vulnerability and earnestness of his character, he made it possible for the audience to embrace their own silliness or discomfort, and some people became very immersed in their characters.
Klarwein impeccably managed the considerable demands of an emotionally expansive eighty-minute monologue, a very physical performance that included jumping, dancing, and singing, and the improvisation required for audience interaction. There is a lot of heaviness in this play, but he held it all with an openness and playfulness alongside the gravity of the content. His delivery was personable and emotionally authentic; he was fully present, and at times it was easy to forget that he was delivering a scripted monologue and not just a long, energetic anecdote.
Every Brilliant Thing seeks to deal with discussions of mental illness and suicide in the safe, contained world of the stage, but also to do so in a way that is responsible and sets an example for others to behave responsibly. As well as the impact of his mother’s depression and suicide, Every Brilliant Thing explored the relationship between the narrator and his father, and his own struggles with mental health. Music was a recurring theme throughout the play, complemented by sound design from Wil Hughes.
Every Brilliant Thing was performed in the round, a configuration I don’t think I have seen in the New Benner Theatre before, and Timothy Wynn’s direction made the most of this. The set itself, designed by Eva Fritz, was cosy, with mismatched chairs in three raised rows on each side of the theatre. Hanging from the ceiling was a similarly eclectic collection of lights and lampshades, the firmaments fading and sparking in response to the onstage emotion. Lighting design by Nathaniel Knight closed the gap further between audience and actor, with the house lights remaining up throughout. The space, like the performance, had a warm and welcoming energy that invited the audience in.
Every Brilliant Thing was beautifully staged, and Jason Klarwein delivered a jubilant and masterful performance of this hopeful, affirming work, reminding us all to look for the magic in the mundane, and the lightness in the dark.
Every Brilliant Thing will be performed at the New Benner Theatre, West End, from 4 – 21 October 2023
For further information, visit the Metro Arts website
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