Daniel K. Isaac in ‘Every Brilliant Thing.’ Photo by Isaak Berliner
The Rundown
There can be 100 people in the room, and 99 of them could become part of the show at any moment. All it takes is just one effortlessly charismatic performer to bring them all together, beaming from ear to ear.
That’s the experience of seeing Every Brilliant Thing at Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles, a one-person show starring Billions actor Daniel K. Issac that invites audiences into an intimate theater and then (politely) asks them to be part of the act.
Written by English playwright Duncan Macmillan, Every Brilliant Thing began as a short monologue back in ’06—performed by the likes of Fleabag creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge — and was later fleshed out into a 70-minute piece, which premiered at the Ludlow Fringe Festival in 2013.
Since then, various iterations of the play have been produced, and Macmillan invites these productions to take creative liberties with the source, adjusting his script to suit the location and the central performer.
In the case of the latter, that’s the aforementioned Daniel K. Isaac, who brings an easy, lived-in congeniality to the sole cast role, but also his identity as a gay man and second-generation Korean-American.
As ‘Billions’ wraps its final season, Daniel K. Isaac returns to the stage to star in Geffen Playhouse’s “Every Brilliant Thing.”
A stage and screen actor who has appeared in everything from queer comedy favorite The Other Two to “Golden Age of Adult Film” period drama The Deuce, Isaac has more than proven himself as a versatile performer, and this show (his LA theater debut) puts his gentle command and elastic range in the spotlight.
With a successful run, Every Brilliant Thing extends its time at Geffen Playhouse through October 29, which—coincidentally—is the same night he can be seen in the series finale of financial drama Billions, ending its seven-season run on Showtime. In other words, it’s going to be a big night for Isaac.
No Tea, No Shade
Daniel K. Isaac in ‘Every Brilliant Thing.’ Photo by Isaak Berliner
A coming-of-age story that unfolds through interactive memories, Every Brilliant Thing centers around Issac’s narrator, who recalls growing up with a chronically depressed mother and how he began creating a list of everyday things (ranging from “ice cream” to “planning a declaration of love”) that bring joy as a means of cheering her up.
With Isaac as our affable and witty storyteller, the narrative slips through years seamlessly, pausing for asides to further elaborate on, say, the one-sided conversation he had with his dad after his mom was first hospitalized for her illness or the way he first approached his crush at the college library.
As directed by Colm Summers, the show uses theatre-in-the-round staging to bring everyone eye-to-eye, immediately dissolving the boundary between “play” and “audience.” This is further enforced by the fact that Isaac’s already front-and-center, eager to greet each incoming guest.
Adorned by a canopy of over 200 knitted blankets (conceived by scenic designer Sibyl Wickersheimer), the space is disarmingly cozy, and the warm-up soundtrack of buoyant pop tunes (from the likes of Carly Rae Jepsen and Jessie Ware) puts you right at ease.
And that’s a good thing because by the time the show starts—the orange glow of theater lights dimming just a touch—you realize nearly everyone here is about to be a part of the show. Even you!
Each audience member is given a slip of paper with a list entry on it, which, when referenced by the narrator, they must read aloud. But that’s not all: A select few theatergoers will be called upon to role-play certain figures in the story: a father, a teacher, or even a love interest.
And the effect is nothing short of magical. As guided by Isaac—as gifted an improviser as he is a soulful communicator—you’ll be amazed by your fellow audience members’ acting chops. No one is asked to embarrass themselves or recite lengthy lines of dialogue, but the way everyone manages to step up to the plate and respond to prompts with candor, humor, and generosity is a sight to behold.
While the script’s frequent admonitions to find the beauty in the world around you may teeter on the saccharine for some, even the most hardcore cynics will find themselves susceptible to the play’s humanist charms. Because, ultimately, Every Brilliant Thing is here to remind us that we’re all capable of brilliance—even the person sitting next to us.
Let’s Have A Moment
Daniel K. Isaac in ‘Every Brilliant Thing.’ Photo by Isaak Berliner
Again, the show couldn’t ask for a better narrator than Isaac, who’s so unforced and comforting in the center of the room that he can’t help but coax the best out of everyone.
For example, he found a perfect scene partner in a theatergoer asked to stand in for his grade school guidance counselor, who not only proved game enough to put her sock on her hand as a makeshift therapy puppet but who also held her own during a pivotal moment of emotional breakthrough.
Another—playing a college literature professor—was given a funny prompt about banned books and ad-libbed a response so sharp and unexpected that the audience broke out into roaring applause.
And, at his point, it’s worth mentioning that this very writer found himself unwittingly drawn into Every Brilliant Thing, selected to play out a love story alongside its star. From the meet-cue to the first time meeting parents to the wedding, it was like starring in a real-time rom-com with a head-rush of emotions. And Isaac was there to protect and nurture, never once letting anyone feel like they might drop the ball and ruin the show.
The sheer uniqueness of this theatrical experience was hammered home in the lobby afterward when, instead of rushing out the door, the audience stood around congratulating one another on their performances. “Wait, you weren’t an audience plant?” “You really didn’t know that was going to happen?” “You were so believable!” “I think I was falling for you, too.” For one night, we weren’t just spectators but stars.
The Last Word
Daniel K. Isaac in ‘Every Brilliant Thing.’ Photo by Isaak Berliner
Aside from the pop tunes that usher folks into the theater, music is crucial in Every Brilliant Thing, particularly American jazz, a genre beloved by the narrator’s father.
Improvisation is a key component of jazz and, fittingly, of the play itself—where no two audiences, and therefore no two shows, are like. It’s a skill Isaac had to hone in the lead-up to its debut, telling Queerty all about the “unpredictability factor.”
“I had test audiences in rehearsals, and you do not know what will come of these people’s mouths,” the actor shared. “In one instance, I need someone to wear socks, and I’m in LA right now — no one is wearing socks. I need a book at some point. And I’m not saying that people don’t read in LA, but who’s carrying a book around when they have a car? So, it’s about trying to catch all the variables and being flexible. Physically, I’m not a flexible person, and now I have to be agile—mentally and theatrically.”
From what we saw on stage that night, Isaac certainly put the work in because he’s very, very flexible.
Every Brilliant Thing continues its extended runat Geffen Playhouse through October 29, 2023.
