‘Every Brilliant Thing’ comes to The Junction with uplifting message
What makes life worth living? Journey into the world of ‘Every Brilliant Thing’ for a lesson in living well.
Enter and be seated. You are joining Dubai theatre veteran Gautam Goenka on stage for his solo show, Every Brilliant Thing.
The play, by British theater artists Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahoe, is running at The Junction on November 3 and 4.
The narrative is a child’s antidote to his mother’s low moods; as she battles depression, he curates a list of all the things in life that are worth living for.
It’s delicate terrain to navigate – a tough subject that must be gently wrapped to make it more palatable. Goenka has some experience with that; he’s performed the play a number of times, most recently in 2022. “The most challenging part is to keep my emotions at the right level. It is easy for a piece like this to become a cry fest or a loud joke... which it isn’t supposed to be. Hence I have to balance the emotions just right so that its neither downer nor a laugh riot about serious topics. That is what attracted me to this piece and made me fall in love with it,” he tells Curtain Raiser UAE.
The performance is accompanied by live piano music, played by Jane Shumilova.
Deep impact
The result is uplifting, empowering. The message is like light at the end of the dark tunnel: bright. “The main message of the play is that there is always hope no matter what happens to you. It encourages people to talk and express themselves in different ways. So many audience members have come up to me and said that they intended to start their own lists. The messages I received weeks post the play showed me the deep positive impact it had on people,” adds Goenka, who has also directed the play.
A part of this engagement begins as you enter the theatre. “The audience interaction is my favourite part. Little do people know that they may get pulled into the performance of this play and as an actor you never know what each audience member brings to the stage. So that’s my favorite part. Also remember the audience sit right on stage with me. This is very different from any other play that I have seen,” he says.
Kickstarting dialogue
Depression is a serious topic; the condition affects 280 million people in the world, says World Health Organisation. And while conversation about it and the impact it has on the affected person and their loved ones has gained steam, much more needs to be done in the field. This play kicks off that discussion, one dialogue at a time.
Ready to curate your own list of Every Brilliant Thing? Get started when you see the play.
The details
Tickets to see ‘Every Brilliant Thing’, which runs at The Junction on November 3 and 4, are Dh120 and can be bought at 800tickets.com.