Review: The rollercoaster of a ride that is ‘Every Brilliant Thing’

Gautam Goenka’s performance is quite on point, and he has the ability to take a gathering of disparate audience along on the journey of self-discovery.

“Children of suicidal people often blame themselves.”

This and similar other facts punctuate the performance of Every Brilliant Thing, a one-person play performed by Dubai theatre veteran Gautam Goenka.

The premise is simple: a child curates a list of things in life that are brilliant and make it worth living as a way to counter his mother’s depression. Just like the highs and lows of life, the play fluctuates between deep observations and a humor-laced anecdotes.

Fair warning: It’s an interactive show so you might be called upon to play a small, but significant role in the narrative. But worry not, Goenka has a way of gently guiding you; you’ll hardly believe you are part of a performance.

Goenka’s performance is quite on point, and he has the ability to take a gathering of disparate audience along on the journey of self-discovery. One that goes from hopeful childhood to angst-filled teenage years to the highs of first love and the sometimes seemingly unbearable heaviness of adulthood.

Classic blues and jazz tracks are scattered throughout the performance, evoking a sense of nostalgia and the warmth of sitting by a fireplace. They add to the realness of the performance (or is it a confessional?). Subtle live piano notes, played by Jane Shumilova, also accentuate some moments telling the audience that this is a key point in the play.

As the play progresses, the list grows and so does the realization that although life is dotted with great highs like falling in love for the first or the fifth time, it’s more about the small moments that make it all worthwhile. Like exchanging books or reading vinyl notes. And the lows, no matter how deep, can only be countered with one simple premise: this too shall pass.

Will he reach his goal of a thousand things that make life worth living? Will he get to ten thousand? Or even a million?

Watch it to find out and take away a little something to brood over this weekend.

The details

Tickets to see ‘Every Brilliant Thing’ at The Junction today, are Dh120 and can be bought at 800tickets.com.