Inside Every Brilliant Thing's Brilliant Opening Night
The immersive, audience-driven play explores depression, hope and human connection in a uniquely uplifting theatrical experience
(Photo by Sergio Villarini for Broadway.com)
What to Know
- Daniel Radcliffe stars in Every Brilliant Thing on Broadway, a one-person, audience-interactive play by Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahoe exploring depression, hope and human connection
- The immersive production highlights audience participation, creating a unique, ever-changing experience that celebrates kindness and everyday “brilliant” moments
- Previously staged in London, Edinburgh, and filmed for HBO, the play offers a powerful, relatable perspective on mental health and resilience
Every Brilliant Thing, Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahoe's inventive one-person play starring Daniel Radcliffe, is officially open on Broadway. The play, which involves audience participation, is an exhilarating and heartwarming story in which a man looks back at his life and the glimmers of hope that carried him through.
Radcliffe, a 2025 Tony winner for his performance in Merrily We Roll Along, recognizes the unique nature of the play. “It’s unlike anything else I will probably ever be asked to do again.” he says. The audience participation embedded into the production allows for new opportunities to recognize positivity in the people around Radcliffe each night. “You are exposed to people’s brilliance and kindness in a kind of fresh way every night that you don’t get on every job,” he shares. “I’m very glad to be doing it.”
For Macmillan, who was tired of seeing productions that glamorized depression and suicide, creating Every Brilliant Thing was a way of showing another facet. “I wanted to see a show which talked about it as being much more commonplace and where the solution actually is other people," he shares. "The solution to how to get yourself out of these moments in your life is to connect with other people and seek help when you need it and give help when you're asked for it."
Every Brilliant Thing has been produced in Edinburgh, London and for an HBO special starring co-writer Donahoe. He calls Radcliffe “my favorite person I’ve ever seen do it.” Others who have taken on the role include Lenny Henry, Ambika Mod, Sue Perkins and Minnie Driver. Donahoe gushes that Radcliffe is, as the title suggests, “a brilliant thing.”
See more highlights from opening night in the video below.
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