Review: Every Brilliant Thing (Minnie Driver) (@SohoPlace)

Review by Daz Gale

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What justifies reviewing a show multiple times? When a show transfers to a different venue or has some other substantial change, there's usually a good reason to justify a new review without just repeating what you've said previously. Rarely would I justify a repeat review when the only change is the cast - Every Brilliant Thing is the exception to the rule. After two visits to this beautiful show over the last two months, I didn’t hesitate in returning to see my third version of the show and Minnie Driver’s take on it. I’d already awarded it 10 stars in total, and as you may have already seen, this version made it a hat-trick.

Every Brilliant Thing is set around one unnamed person whose specifics are never mentioned or even relevant, hence the diverse range of performers who have taken on this role throughout the run. Beginning in childhood, they attempt to ease their mum’s depression by creating a list of everything that’s brilliant in the world - this can range from ice cream to people falling over to specific moments in songs and everything in between. Though the list is initially forgotten about, it returns as the person journeys into adulthood, growing it into the thousands, tens of thousands and even hundreds of thousands, sometimes with the help of others. The list may not be a constant through their entire life, but it has a way of coming back when they most need it.

This is a show like no other… in two different ways. First, the overall experience of Every Brilliant Thing is unique in its approach to practically every other show, but even within this world (can we call it the Everyverse?), each individual show is unique to that specific performance. That is down to the inclusion of audience members - the unexpected ways they respond, the spontaneous moments that exemplify the beauty of live theatre, the various props and prompts the performer is given and the way they respond to it, using all their skills to improvise, while staying in character.

At this performance, the unique aspects that were seen in the evening of October 21st and never to be seen again really delivered. My previous visits had included a missed cue causing the performer to start again, an audience member walking off when approached, and a hilarious misreading of a word that changed the meaning entirely. This performance saw an audience member following the request to take off her sock by motioning to removing her top as well - all tongue in cheek but very much in keeping with the spontaneous and random nature of the show. The biggest laugh-out-loud moment came when Minnie Driver asked for books from the audience as each performer does, to receive one titled “I Love Dick”, resulting in some hilarious riffing that encapsulated what this show does best.

I have spoken at length in my previous two reviews about what makes Every Brilliant Thing such a special watch - life-affirming, powerful. poignant and just simply brilliant, so I won’t repeat myself. Instead, I want to speak about this particular performance and what made Minnie Driver’s take as equally brilliant as the previous two I had seen.

Five performers have shared the role throughout this run at @SohoPlace. I had previously seen Lenny Henry and Sue Perkins’ versions of the show, and sadly was unable to catch Ambika Mod and co-creator Jonny Donahoe, though this show seems to have become the theatrical equivalent of Pokemon in the sense that you gotta catch ‘em all. There is something so universal about Every Brilliant Thing that means it doesn’t matter which performer you see in the role, the essence still shines through. On the other hand, each performer puts their own stamp on it, making their own distinct version of the show. All three versions I have seen have been wildly different takes, as you would expect with performers like Lenny Henry and Sue Perkins. Minnie Driver’s was a performance like no other.

A legendary actress in her own right, with no shortage of classic films to her name, Minnie Driver has a calm and kind demeanour about her that is clear to see from the moment you enter the theatre. One ingenious touch in Every Brilliant Thing I’ve mentioned in previous reviews is in how it removes the barrier between performer and audience immediately, walking in to see the performer already there, chatting away with various members of the audience. Instantly, I was struck by Driver’s aura, and it didn’t take her long to make her way over to greet me and my friend, opting to give me a card to read out (for the first time in my three visits). Later on, she also asked if I wanted to be one of the lucky few who joined her on stage, but I used reviewing it as an excuse for my own stage-fright, and didn’t want to risk knocking a star off for my own wooden performance.

Driver’s version of the role is quieter and more subdued, giving a more nuanced and sometimes understated portrayal that never lessens the overall impact of both her performance and the piece. What surprised me is how much more emotional Driver’s version is, making the piece feel far more raw and real as she dabbed away the tears in her eyes. Showcasing her talents beautifully, we also got moments to hear her gorgeous singing voice (she has three albums to her name so far) and witness her comedic abilities firsthand as she effortlessly and instantly responded to all the weird and wonderful moments random audience members can provide her. Though it was quite a different take to the others I had seen, it was every bit as fantastic, thanks to Minnie Driver’s own captivating nature. Each performer has their own individual moments, such as picking a different celebrity to add to their list - as Driver put her own spin on a moment, encouraging the audience to take part in a Mexican Wave, she more than put her own stamp on the role.

Every Brilliant Thing has been a breath of fresh air for theatre this year. The kind of show you could watch repeatedly and never get bored, as my three visits so far testify. Each time feels like the first time, because it technically is, due to the format of the show. With an important topic at its heart that doesn’t get discussed as much as it should, and certainly not as sensitively and sensationally as this show manages, not only has Every Brilliant Thing made it on to my own list of every brilliant thing there is in the world, it’s sure to feature high on my list of favourite shows this year.

Every Brilliant Thing concludes its run at @SohoPlace on 8th November, with Minnie Driver scheduled to perform each of the remaining shows. Tickets from https://allthatdazzles.londontheatredirect.com/play/every-brilliant-thing-tickets 

Photos by Danny Kaan