Over the years, mental health and wellness have been the subject of various arts from books, art, cinema to theatre. Today when mental health issues have been thrown into sharper relief than ever before, these stories are taking center stage. For its first play under Paytm Insider’s recently announced theatre initiative, Front & Centre, the platform is bringing one such fascinating and heart-wrenching story - ‘Every Brilliant Thing’, produced by QTP, directed by Quasar Thakore Padamsee and performed by Vivek Madan.
Front & Centre, which reimagines theatre in digital formats, is presenting the play’s very first digital edition, bringing this treasured work of art online. Every Brilliant Thing will premiere online on July 18th. Tickets priced at Rs. 400 are available on Paytm Insider.
Other than its poignant subject-matter, what sets this production of Every Brilliant Thing apart is its live participative format where the audience is invited to interact with each other and the performer to take the story forward. Since the play contains sensitive and potentially triggering material, it is available only for audiences above the age of 18. At its heart, Every Brilliant Thing aims to start conversations about mental health issues. This showcase will be followed by a 20 minutes opportunity for audiences to ask questions, share observations or start a dialogue with professionals working in the field of mental health care, who will also be present during the live stream.
Every Brilliant Thing is an uplifting story about love, life, family, mental health, and a much-required list of all the wonderful things in the world. It encourages the viewers to celebrate the joy found in everyday objects. The play is written by Johnny Donahoe and by Duncan Macmillan, an award-winning writer and theatre director. Duncan Macmillan’s previous works also cover contemporary socio-political issues and include productions such as People, Places and Things, and 2071.
Every Brilliant Thing’s online performance is produced by prominent theatre and arts management company QTP. Known for creating unique and engaging experiences for live audiences, the theatre company is the one behind the critically acclaimed plays So Many Socks, The President is Coming, Khatijabai of Karmali Terrace, A Peasant of El Salvador, and The God of Carnage in India, and has spearheaded international collaborations such as Nirbhaya, Gates to India Song, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Speaking on the launch, Varun Khare – Business Head, Live entertainment (IPs & Partnerships) at Paytm Insider, said, “It is our honour to showcase a production as moving and relevant as Every Brilliant Thing on Paytm Insider. Creating a digital rendition of a work of art that is meant to be delivered live is an exciting challenge. We look forward to witnessing the magic that QTP, Quasar, and Vivek create on the screen, and to have this be the start for plays performed under Front & Centre.
Quasar Thakore Padamsee, Director, Every Brilliant Thing said, “Every Brilliant Thing was designed to be a communal experience that brings the live performer and live audience to a shared space and encourages positive interaction between the two. As plays go online during this lockdown, however, we cannot simply call it online theatre. It is an entirely new medium, one that requires cumulative efforts of everyone executing the play to create an immersive experience that evokes that familiar sense of community, even though we’re all isolated with our devices. It is, thus, not just a digital rendition but a recreation or a reinvention of the play we know so well. Needless to say, it’s a new challenge altogether, and we’re more than exuberant to face it head-on!”
Vivek Madan, lead cast, Every Brilliant Thing, said, “The play is an insight or a window into a person’s life. Although it deals with sensitive topics, it is fun, even funny at times, and, most of all, scarily relatable. It is completely real and there is no artifice. I am simply sharing a story with the audience that I’m grateful that people are around to listen to.”
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