Matt Zambrano’s tour de force performance transforms an interactive play about depression into something life-affirming.

It’s that holiday time of year when the theaters, movie houses and airwaves are full of light, happy thoughts and feelings. So, it’s somewhat daring of Boulder Ensemble Theatre to offer us Every Brilliant Thing, a play about depression and suicide. But as BETC often does, the company provides not only a tour de force one-person performance — a stellar Matt Zambrano here — but an experience that brings the audience together in a moving, shared exploration of what it means to be human.

Every Brilliant Thing premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2014 and was an immediate sensation. Co-created by Duncan Macmillan and original performer Jonny Donohoe, it went on to hit performances in more than 80 countries, including Off-Broadway in New York. Part of its appeal is the opportunity it provides its star (it can be cast with either a male or female lead) an opportunity to convey a wide range of emotions as they recount their life from the age of 7 on as the child of a depressive mother.

The play also creates an intensely interactive experience for the audience as the lead actor invites various spectators to read cards about the little things that bring joy to life, like “ice cream,” “bed” and “friends who tell you there’s broccoli in your teeth.” There’s also a chance for some members of the audience to be called upon to play roles like father, teacher or love interest for the lead. At the performance I attended, these individuals did a magnificent job of the role-playing, with Zambrano sometimes feeding them lines or at other times enabling their natural acting talents to take over.

Before the show, audience members are given the chance to put post-it notes with their “brilliant things” on a portable chalk board. Over time, some of those thoughts are included in the cards that the lead actor hands out to later attendees, reinforcing the sense of a community coming together. In less able hands than MacMillan’s and Donohoe’s — and an actor less talented than Zambrano — the show’s interactive moments might feel gimmicky, but here they are genuine and often powerful.

Matt Zambrano with audience members in ‘Every Brilliant Thing.’ | Photo: Michael Ensminger

A box full of notes

In the play’s narrative, described in a deeply heartfelt way by Zambrano, we hear how his character starts creating the list as a little boy, leaving notes around the house that he hopes will cheer up his depressed mother. As he grows up and faces his own challenges he continues to add to his list, winding up as an adult with boxes full of sayings.

Without saying too much more about the arc of the story and ruining it for future viewers, suffice it to say that Zambrano takes us on an emotional journey through his character’s life that may have more or less resonance for those of us in the audience. But even if the character’s most distressing experiences are far from our own, Zambrano and the show’s creators have created a surprisingly uplifting story.

Instead of ending on a somber note, Every Brilliant Thing is ultimately hopeful, giving us a chance on the way home to think about what our own list of “brilliant things” would include.

Note: In recognition that audience members may be struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts, a local mental health professional attends every performance and is available afterward to talk with anyone in need. The program also includes information about the national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (988) and other mental health resources.