Every Brilliant Thing Review – Lenny Henry Gets Audience On Board For List Of Life’s Joys

Since its premiere successful 2013, Duncan Macmillan’s one-person play astir slump has gradually go a cult hit. It’s been performed successful much than 80 countries and now – yet – makes its West End debut. There’s a starry rotating cast, kicking disconnected pinch Lenny Henry and besides including original performer Jonny Donahoe, arsenic good arsenic Ambika Mod, Sue Perkins and Minnie Driver. Jeremy Herrin directs alongside Macmillan and a posse of starring producers are backing nan show.

It each screams smash hit. But there’s thing astir nan standard and downright snazziness of this accumulation that doesn’t rather gel. The setup is simple. It’s astir a young boy who, aft his mum does “something stupid” erstwhile she has acute depression, decides to make a database astir each nan things that make life worthy living. Waffles. Hedgehogs. Falling successful love.

Before nan show begins, scribbled notes pinch items from nan database are distributed passim nan audience. At regular intervals, nan assemblage is required to outcry retired nan items from nan list. A fewer spectators are besides pulled into various mime sequences and moving gags and, pinch Henry, they cautiously bring this boy’s communicative to life arsenic he transitions from a hopeful young boy to faltering and thoughtful man.

Good nosy … Every Brilliant Thing. Photograph: Helen Murray

In nan very champion productions of Macmillan’s play, nan moments of assemblage relationship tin consciousness really special. But connected property night, everything feels somewhat connected edge. Perhaps nan shiny caller theatre and prima performer are a small imposing. Every now and then, Henry can’t defy sparring pinch nan crowd. It’s each bully nosy but each advertisement lib takes america 1 measurement person to a standup show – and 1 measurement further from nan lukewarm bosom of this play.

It’s only erstwhile Henry isn’t trying to beryllium funny that nan show settles. There’s a stillness and steeliness to him erstwhile he talks astir nan value of protecting our intelligence health. Henry besides responds beautifully to each nan euphony woven into nan show, which plays specified an important domiciled and underlines conscionable really overmuch this boy has been forced to unrecorded connected nan edges of his family life. Listening down doors. Hovering. Worrying. Never getting genuinely involved, for fearfulness of what he whitethorn suffer if he lets nan happiness in.