Broadway | Limited Run Revival (extended) | Hudson Theatre | Opened March 12, 2026 (Investment)

Creative Team

Every Brilliant Thing is written by English playwright Duncan Macmillan with British comedian Jonny Donahoe. The 2013 premiere was directed by George Perrin via theater company Paines Plough. Recent high-profile iterations, including its 2026 Broadway debut starring Daniel Radcliffe and Mariska Hargitay, were co-directed by Jeremy Herrin and Macmillan.

Synopsis

The play is an immersive, life-affirming solo show addressing depression and suicide with striking humor and warmth. It follows an unnamed narrator who, at seven years old, begins compiling a list of "everything brilliant about the world worth living for" to ease their mother’s severe depression following a suicide attempt. The list starts simple—like "ice cream" and "water fights"—but grows over decades through the narrator’s own college years, marriage, and bouts with depression, eventually reaching one million entries. Performing under house lights, the actor interacts directly with the audience, inviting them to read numbered list items or spontaneously roleplay key figures from the narrator’s life.

Production History

The play originated in 2006 as a 15-minute monologue titled Sleeve Notes, written by Macmillan for actress Rosie Thomson. Macmillan and director George Perrin later expanded the concept into an interactive art installation, collecting real "brilliant things" via a viral Facebook group and post-it notes in a festival tent. In 2012, they brought in Jonny Donahoe, whose comedic and improvisational background shaped the piece into a full-length, audience-participatory play. It debuted at the Ludlow Fringe Festival in 2013 before becoming a massive hit at the 2014 Edinburgh Fringe. It was adapted into an HBO documentary in 2016 and has since been performed over 400 times across 63 countries, serving as a global theatrical touchstone for mental health awareness.

The 2026 Broadway production features a trio of distinct, limited-run stars tackling the solo show:

• Daniel Radcliffe: Opened the production (Feb–May), earning a Tony nomination for his vulnerable, high-energy take on the role.

• Mariska Hargitay: Made her highly anticipated Broadway debut (May–July), bringing deep empathy and warmth to the character.

• Tracee Ellis Ross: Set to close the strictly limited run (July–August), marking her own powerhouse Broadway debut.