By Jena Carr
Life is made up of many brilliant things, as the Geelong Contemporary Theatre company explores in a new show coming to the Potato Shed.
Every Brilliant Thing is a one-woman show that follows a child’s goal of making a list of 1000 brilliant things to give to her mother suffering from depression, which turns into a lifelong quest.
Director Nicholas Brooke said the play was a comedy about a woman’s journey into adulthood, played by Canadian-Australian actor Rachelle Lachland Goulter, but also sensitively dealt with depression.
“Life is more than monotone, and so things can be funny whilst things are also at their worst,” he said.
“It’s a play about how we heal through depression and some ways in which we don’t as well as some of the misconceptions about what it means to live with depression and to process depression.”
Mr Brooke said the audience played an important role in the show as everyone receives a piece of the list of brilliant things and is called up to participate throughout the play.
“Each show is its own collaborative story that’s never the same every night,” he said.
“Every audience member has a piece of the list and then several audience members will also play characters throughout her life.”
Every Brilliant Thing is the Geelong Contemporary Theatre company’s first show, a new group on the live performance scene.
“Our theatre company is dedicated to making more contemporary work and introducing people to newer works in theatre,” Mr Brooke said.
“We hope this separates us from some of the other theatre companies in Geelong and we’d love the community support in helping us do what we do.”
Every Brilliant Thing is coming to the Potato Shed in Drysdale on September 15 and 16 at 7.30pm and September 23 at 1pm and 7.30pm.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit tickets.geelongaustralia.com.au/event/every-brilliant-thing-2023
