By Matt Adams
Often the things that are hardest to talk about are also the things that are most important to talk about. Every Brilliant Thing, presented in Cedar City by the Utah Shakespeare Festival, discusses the realities and effects of depression and suicide. This is a difficult and sensitive topic, but it is one that deserves attention and discussion in our community. In 2017, suicide was the leading cause of death for Utahns ages 10-17 and ages 18-24, and the second leading cause of death for those 25-44. During the years 2015-2017, Utah’s suicide rate was the fifth highest in the nation. Every Brilliant Thing uses a touch of comedy to allow us to approach this often taboo subject. The play successfully walks the fine line between lightheartedness and solemnity, producing a heartwarming and enlightening piece.
Every Brilliant Thing features a solo performer, an unnamed storyteller, played by Michael Doherty, who recounts his experiences growing up with a depressive mother. His mother’s first attempt to take her life happens when he is seven years old. In reaction, the optimistic young boy decides to begin a list of “brilliant things” to remind his mother that life is worth living. Beginning with “ice cream,” “water fights,” and “staying up past your bedtime,” he adds hundreds of items to The List through the night and leaves it for his mother in the morning, hoping that it will help her. Through his teenage years, college years, and into adulthood, the character occasionally revisits The List, adding more and more items as he deals with the effects of depression in his family and in his own life.
While Doherty is the only cast member listed in the program, he often shares the stage with an audience member who he enlists to portray a secondary character. Doherty does an amazing job interacting with and playing off the audience. He is personable with the audience even before the show starts, genuinely greeting audience members and asking for willing participants. Several audience members are given pieces of paper with numbered list items written on them, and are asked to call out their item when that number is mentioned during the show (I was #1: “Ice Cream”). This audience participation not only lends some comedy to the production, but also makes it a uniquely interactive experience. You get something from experiencing and sharing this play with other audience members that you wouldn’t get from reading or simply watching it.
Doherty is inexhaustible in his role. He embodies both the giddiness of a seven-year-old and the angst of a confused teenager. Luckily, his more adult self manages to retain some of that giddiness as well, because Doherty’s energy and not-quite-obnoxious laugh are infectious. He brings physicality and humor to the role, and throws in some rocking keyboard and vocal skills as well. Doherty’s quick thinking and improvisation in interacting with the audience add to the effect and enjoyment of the production.
Vincent J. Cardinal’s dynamic direction has Doherty using all parts of the stage and playing to all parts of the theater-in-the-round audience. The costume design by Lauren T. Roark and the set design are appropriately minimal and modern. The props department goes above and beyond: The notes given to audience members with list items were handwritten by local elementary and high school students, giving the props special authenticity. Chandler Oppenheimer merits special recognition as sound designer. His curated “soul songs” effectively contribute to pivotal moments of the story.
USF’s Every Brilliant Thing is a production with a cause. There is a table in the theater lobby with information for organizations dedicated to suicide prevention and other resources for those affected by suicide. The script of the play itself seeks to educate the audience on this issue and to provide help and hope to those dealing with suicidal thoughts or actions personally or in their families. As part of their preparation for this show, every member of the production team and all USF staff completed QPR (suicide prevention) training.
Some plays make you laugh and some make you cry. Some plays uplift; some plays educate. Some plays send you out of the theater making you want to be a better person. USF’s Every Brilliant Thing does all of these things. If you have a chance to see this production, please do. If not, watch out for it in your area in the future. In Doherty’s words, “I think everyone should see this play, regardless of how close you are to the issue. If this piece can save even one life, it was totally worth it.”
Thanks to several grants and generous donations, Every Brilliant Thing is being cast and produced throughout Utah starting in 2020 so high schoolers have the opportunity to see this important, perhaps even life-saving show.
Utah Shakespeare Festival presents Every Brilliant Thing by Duncan Macmillan, with Jonny Donahoe.
Eileen and Allen Anes Studio Theater, 351 West Center Street, Cedar City, UT 84720
July 11 – October 12, 2019 2:00 PM, 8:00 PM, check website for dates.
Tickets: $52-56
Contact: 800-752-9849
Utah Shakespeare Festival Facebook Page
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
800-273-TALK (8255)
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