September 6 - 17
EVERY BRILLIANT THING, has grabbed the attention of critics receiving both “LA Times Critics’ Choice," and "The New York Times Critics’ Pick”! Hometown talent, Sarah Robertson delivers a stunning performance in this hilarious and stirring one woman play.
One of many Bez audience reviews…
“Do everything you can to see Burnt Thicket's fabulous play at Bez Arts… it is brilliant. Our family LOVED the play and the actor… “Every Brilliant Thing” allowed us to enter a mystical space… Sarah Robertson made us laugh so hard as she taught us, held us, loved us, encouraged us and gave us courage… I can’t say enough about the experience…” –Bev Wilson
UPDATE, Saturday Sept 16
PLEASE NOTE: There are still tickets available for the remaining shows.
We’re excited to have you at Bez for Every Brilliant Thing!
If you have questions call 604 881 2426
Bez Arts Hub presents Burnt Thicket Theatre’s award-winning hit comedy about depression and gratitude:
EVERY BRILLIANT THING
by Duncan Macmillan, with Jonny Donahoe
featuring Sarah Robertson
“You’re seven years old. Mum’s in hospital. Dad says she’s ‘done something stupid’. She finds it hard to be happy. You start a list of everything brilliant about the world. Everything worth living for.
1. Ice Cream. 2. Kung Fu Movies. 3. Laughing so hard you shoot milk out your nose…
You leave it on her pillow. You know she's read it because she's corrected your spelling.”
Twenty years and thousands of things later, the list takes on a life of its own. Be drawn in to this astonishingly funny comedy about depression and the lengths we go to for those we love. Based on true and untrue stories.
Audiences are captivated by this exhilarating solo performance like no other, a deep dive into emotional well-being through wit, wisdom and hilarity. Theatre’s power to bring people together in loving respect is vividly alive in this play, undoing the stigma around mental illness.
"Heart-wrenching, hilarious… one of the funniest plays you’ll ever see, full stop. ” FOUR STARS
–The Guardian
"the funniest show about depression you’ve ever seen… [It’s] about finding reasons to live… And those reasons can be as minute as wearing a cape and as big as falling in love."
–New York Post
Burnt Thicket’s production received the 2018 SATAward for Outstanding Leading Performance, and nominations for Outstanding Production and Outstanding Direction.
Since 2008 Burnt Thicket Theatre has toured live plays to over 27 cities across Canada, from Halifax to Victoria. This production filled extended runs in 2018 and 2020 at Regina’s Globe Theatre, Saskatoon’s Live Five Theatre and Winterruption Festival, Calgary’s Fire Exit Theatre, and eight weeks in 2022 at Rosebud Theatre, and upcoming Sept 2023 at Bez Arts Hub in Langley, BC.
Performer: Sarah Robertson
Director & Scenic Co-Designer: Stephen Waldschmidt
Sound Designer & Scenic Co-Designer: Tim Bratton
Lighting Designer: Charlie Peters
Stage Manager: Mackenzie Dawson
Audience Advisory: This play contains discussions about severe depression, not suitable for young children. Recommended for ages 14+.
Audience Reviews:
"I was blown away by the production and the performance... I hope you are selling out. You deserve to." –Louis B. Hobson (Calgary Herald theatre reviewer)
“Burnt Thicket Theatre’s production of Every Brilliant Thing was just that – brilliant! I have never witnessed a play with this much seamless audience interaction. [The performer] has an uncanny ability to make everyone feel at ease, and so the scenes of audience participation were natural, funny, without embarrassment, and ultimately moving in so many ways.” –Morris Ertman, Artistic Director, Rosebud Theatre
"As a mental health professional, I was curious about how this play would approach such a challenging topic. With compassion, respect, and humour the audience is invited to experience a profoundly candid glimpse into the impact mental illness has on the family. Every Brilliant Thing reminds us of the incredible resilience, and vulnerability, of the human spirit." –Karen Gibson, Gibson Collaborative Counselling
“We had the great pleasure of presenting Burnt Thicket Theatre’s production of “Every Brilliant Thing” in Calgary to launch our season. I could not be happier with this decision. I have rarely seen an audience more engaged, dare I say, enraptured by a performance and a performer. Show after show the audience fully entered into this story and helped to tell it, with full emotion. Being familiar with the script I was not surprised by the laughter, but was caught off guard by the tears. I saw our audience entertained, challenged and healed. The set was simple and effective, the direction was thoughtful and intelligent and I, quite simply, cannot image any other actor taking on this role and filling it completely. [The performer] created safe place that made everyone want to play with her. She was magical. This production was one of my favourite experiences in the theatre. Ever.” –Val Lieske, Managing Artistic Director, Fire Exit Theatre, Calgary
“As both an actor / playwright and a Mental Health / Substance Abuse Worker I found the play to be very groundbreaking. It had a profound impact of drawing the audience into the story, while at the same time generously educating about mental health, primarily suicide. I loved the interaction with the audience, and watching how as the story unfolded and produced healing. The content was a heavy subject, yet the play didn’t traumatize instead it gave a beautiful dose of insight.” –Wanita Bird, Indigenous Cultural Support, Mental Health & Addiction Services Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Health Authority
“Leading our season with Burnt Thicket Theatre’s Every Brilliant Thing was a success for the entire Live Five community because it provided an opportunity for our audiences to engage with the art and with one another in a way they hadn't ever before. [The performer’s] joyful and cheeky rapport was disarming and infectious; you could feel that people were letting their guards down and really getting into the shared experience of this show.” –Kate Herriot, Board President, Live Five Theatre
“When I hear people gush about shows, I try not to get my hopes up too far, but all the very good things I'd heard about Every Brilliant Thing paled in comparison to what was actually going on in the theatre today. A show like this one scares me to death, as it asks a form of engagement I'm often not comfortable with, but [the performer] gave us the most generous, authentic experience of this story and through it, her true, evident care for and of us was truly heroic. She seemed to take each and every one of us by the hand, never with a sideward glance to anyone else, never hinting at a lack of confidence in us or in where she was taking us, and made each of us in that audience feel like one of the Brilliant things on the list. I don't often get sentimental about shows - they have their lives and the close and its good and fine to say good-bye to them, but I hope this specific production finds more ways to hold on a little longer, because it deserves that and more people deserve to experience that. Thank-you Fire Exit Theatre, Thank-you Burnt Thicket Theatre. signed a grateful #431.” –Brad G. Graham (resident stage manager, Rosebud Theatre)
“I hesitate to call it a show 'cuz it was more like watching a live spontaneous sharing of thoughts, memories, with no feeling of it being memorized show lines. Quite extraordinary. My brain is thinking differently now. Yup, this one will change you.” –Diane I.
“With artful direction and a humane, absorbing performance by Sarah Robertson, ‘Every Brilliant Thing’ embraces a very difficult subject with extraordinary amounts of empathy and energy, creating a very fine balance between kinetic storytelling and time-stopping, emotional moments.”
– Philip Chiu (international concert pianist, accompanist/music at McGill University, invited professor-accompanist Conservatoire de musique de Montreal and l’Universite de Montreal)
"Every Brilliant Thing is possibly the best show that I have seen. I laughed, cried and loved the audience interaction… AMAZING. Thank-you for such a GREAT experience.” –Yvonne Stappler
“I can not more strongly recommend Every Brilliant Thing from Burnt Thicket Theatre… It’s a straight up hilarious and soul exposing ride. I don’t recommend shows lightly. Make time for this one. TRUST ME.” –Krista Marushy (playwright & actor)
“Every Brilliant Thing @BurntThicket is brilliant -- a play about depression that gives you one million reasons to be happy. One million and one: great performances in great plays. Go see it, this weekend or next.” –Rod Macpherson, Twitter post
“Just got home from Every Brilliant Thing! What a great show. If you aren't seeing it tomorrow you're truly missing out on a great piece of theatre. It’s brilliant and the audience loved it. @BurntThicket has definitely made some brilliant choices. pun intended.” –Johnny B., Twitter post
“It was honestly so good. Saw it Sunday and have been thinking/talking about it all week - I’d go again if we lived closer to Saskatoon!” –Candice N., Facebook comment
“Go see this play!! It made me laugh a lot and cry a little. But mostly it opened up a whole new perspective on depression and gratefulness… Burnt Thicket Theatre have outdone themselves!” –Corinne S. (Facebook post)
"Oh man this show was BRILLIANT!!! A must see. Very honest and real and emotional and funny and engaging. A true theatre experience. Trust me. You’ll love this show." –Tim Bergmann
“An important and truly brilliant production. Have seen it twice. Can't recommend it highly enough.” –Ruth Kinzel, Kinzel Cadrin & Associates