Every Brilliant Thing returns after project reached thousands across Cumbria
Theatre by the Lake (TBTL) has announced the return of Every Brilliant Thing, the critically acclaimed and deeply moving play about finding hope in life’s smallest moments.
The 2026 version will be once again directed by TBTL’s Artistic Director and joint CEO, Liz Stevenson and will feature the return of Andy Turner in his celebrated performance as the Narrator. The production will be staged in the round, this time in the TBTL Studio, before embarking on a tour of village halls and community venues across Cumbria.
A unique blend of storytelling, humour and audience participation, Every Brilliant Thing follows one person’s lifelong attempt to create a list of all the things worth living for. Honest, uplifting and funny, the play opens up conversations around depression, grief and suicide while celebrating human connection and resilience.
The project reached more than 2,800 audience members through performances at TBTL. Whilst in Keswick, the show also engaged over 200 local secondary school students in workshops and helped forge partnerships with organisations working at the forefront of suicide prevention and mental health support. Elsewhere in the building, the project generated 1,397 contributions to the “What’s Your Brilliant Thing?” Exhibition, which invited people to share their own brilliant things, plastering them all over the walls, each with their own unique number.
The report also highlighted the success of TBTL’s community touring model, which brought professional theatre directly into communities facing barriers to accessing arts and culture, while creating safe spaces for conversations around mental health and wellbeing. Building on the legacy of this touring model, TBTL went on to win the UK Theatre Award for Excellence in Touring for the following year’s tour of Steel.
Liz Stevenson, Artistic Director and joint CEO of TBTL, said:
“Every Brilliant Thing has been one of the most special experiences I have been part of at Theatre by the Lake, so I am excited to welcome back Andy Turner and the creative team to make it once again. This play is unlike any other, it is a unique experience that audiences won’t forget. We witnessed first-hand the power of the show in all spaces we visited, the way it opened conversations and helped people feel connected.
“The response from audiences, schools, community groups and partner organisations was extraordinary. Bringing the production back allows us to build on that legacy and continue reaching people across Cumbria with a story that is both deeply moving and full of laughter.
“We’re so excited to bring this beloved show back, this time making the most of the intimacy of our studio space, before taking it out into village halls and community spaces across the county, returning to communities we have reached previously and building new relationships.”
The production will once again be supported by TBTL’s partners Every Life Matters, PAPYRUS and Andy’s Man Club, helping to ensure audiences have access to information, guidance and support around suicide prevention and mental wellbeing.
The return of Every Brilliant Thing reflects TBTL’s ongoing commitment to creating work that responds to issues affecting Cumbrian communities while ensuring high-quality theatre is accessible across the county.
Every Brilliant Thing is coming back to Theatre by the Lake this Summer, staged in our Studio in the round from Wednesday 12 August to Saturday 5 September, 2026. Every Brilliant Thing then goes on tour around Cumbria visiting community spaces from Monday 7 September – Sunday 4 October.
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About the impact of Every Brilliant Thing (2023)
• 18 performances at TBTL reached 2,306 audience members.
• A six-date community tour reached a further 556 audience members.
• Three local secondary schools attended performances, alongside two performances for 207 Year 10 students at Keswick School.
• The production generated 1,397 contributions to the public “What’s Your Brilliant Thing?” exhibition.
• Seven strategic partnerships were developed, including Every Life Matters, PAPYRUS and Andy’s Man Club.
• Audience attendance included a 33% increase in people not typically engaged in arts and culture.
• The project provided training, community activities and dedicated audience support spaces focused on mental health awareness and suicide prevention.
