Some nights at the theatre remind us why we go at all. At a time when people speak more openly about mental health yet still search for comfort, Every Brilliant Thing offers a small light. Duncan Macmillan’s play returns to the West End with Minnie Driver, and what she brings feels honest, alive, and deeply moving.

The show looks simple on the surface. One actor, one list, one room full of people. But it grows into something larger, a shared experience that mixes joy with sadness. The story follows a child who starts listing brilliant things to cheer up their mother after a suicide attempt. Over the years the list keeps growing, shaping the child’s life and ours along the way.

The audience is part of it. People are asked to read items aloud, play a parent, a teacher, or a partner. What could feel like a trick instead becomes a gentle way of reminding us that we are all in the story together. The room changes each night, and that makes the show breathe.

Minnie Driver holds that space with warmth and ease. She listens closely, adjusts to each voice, and keeps the rhythm of the story flowing. One moment she has everyone laughing, the next she draws a silence that feels full of care. Her tone moves easily between play and pain, never forcing emotion, only letting it arrive. There is a small dog called Sherlock Bones, a funny book title, a wave of laughter, and then, quietly, a pause that means more than words.

The design stays light and open. Vicki Mortimer’s space feels safe. Jack Knowles’ soft lights fall gently on faces. Tom Gibbons’ sound mixes music with memory, and Driver’s choice to sing adds a tender touch. Each corner of the stage holds a quiet idea, one for fear, another for truth, and together they make the evening feel whole.

Driver brings trust to the stage. She trusts the story, the crowd, and herself. Her timing is sharp, her tone calm, her presence steady. She carries years of film and television work behind her but uses that skill here with real simplicity. When she slows down to sing or speak softly, the whole room slows with her.

Every Brilliant Thing is more than an interactive show. It is a reminder of how we hold on to life and to one another. It shows that laughter and sadness can sit side by side, and that even a list can be an act of love. You leave the theatre thinking of your own list, the small ordinary things that make you stay.

Run and credits
Venue: @sohoplace, London
Booking until: 8 November 2025
Written by: Duncan Macmillan with Jonny Donahoe
Directed by: Duncan Macmillan and Jeremy Herrin
Design: Vicki Mortimer
Lighting: Jack Knowles
Sound: Tom Gibbons
Casting: Jessica Ronane CDG
Produced by: Second Half Productions, Gavin Kalin Productions, Rodeo, Tilted, and Winkler and Smalberg, in association with Nica Burns and Paines Plough
Featuring five performers, with Minnie Driver closing the West End season
Tickets available at: sohoplace.org

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