Visit Bruka Theatre to witness a one-woman show full of humor and hardship. “Every Brilliant Thing” tells the story of an individual with a suicidal mother and how they choose to embrace positivity by writing a list of all the brilliant things in the world.
The show takes place in the basement of Bruka Theatre rather than on the main stage. The set is designed to look like a home office. Papers are all over the desk and floor, and Post-it notes are on almost every surface. The set dressing embodies the mindset of this individual: scattered and all over the place, yet colorful and bright.
Mary Bennett plays the unnamed protagonist. I left the theater forgetting this was not her original story because she owned this character.
Despite the serious subjects, this show is full of humor. The laughs are derived from audience interaction. Bennett calls on seemingly random audience members to stand in for little roles along the journey of her character’s life: a vet, her father, her first love, etc. At the performance I attended, every audience member was game to be part of the show, and their willingness to embrace the role or their awkwardness onstage helped lighten the dark themes.
Bennett also incorporates movement into her performance. She runs through the audience, around the theater, and even speaks with the sound technician during the show. Despite being the only performer on stage, there was never a dull moment.
With a relatively short production without an intermission, “Every Brilliant Thing” is an unusual theater experience.
Details
- Web: https://www.bruka.org/
- Written by: Duncan Macmillan with Jonny Donahoe
- Directed by: Holly Natwora
- Featuring: Mary Bennett
Evening Show Dates: 1/26, 1/27, 1/31(A), 2/1, 2/2, ⅔ @ 7:30 PM
Matinee Show Dates: 1/28, 2/4* @ 2 PM
Tickets
- General Admission $30
- Senior/Student/Military $26
- A = Artist Night $17
- All Tickets at the Door $35
- *Followed by a Talkback with Company
