Every Brilliant Thing is a heart-wrenching story about mental illness performed with a pantomime twist. Jonny Donohue, the piece’s sole actor, narrates his experience of his mother’s depression and later his own. The piece skirts the cliche of confessional storytelling through audience involvement, a performance feature that is first hinted at by the unusual structure of the theatre space. When the audience first enter the theatre, they find sixty seats placed upon the stage itself, forming an amphitheatre with the remaining stall seats. It then becomes clear that Donohue intends to get up close and personal during the performance. Donohue invites or coerces audience members … Continue reading Exploring Mental Health Through the Eyes of a Child, Every Brilliant Thing