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Trent Armand Kendall
November 9, 2009
“Picture Incomplete”
Laurie Beechman Theatre – November 2, 16, December 14, 21
Actor-singer Trent Armand Kendall has written the book to “Picture Incomplete,” a one-man, multi-character musical about a man who, on his 40th birthday, examines his past life and considers his future possibilities. He tells his story through songs, monologues, and character sketches of various people in his life, among them: Clarence, a homeless street beggar; Mavis, a very voluble neighbor, and her two sons, one a wannabe thug, the other an aspiring fashion designer; a pill-peddling psychiatrist; and a preacher. Viewed as a vehicle for Kendall’s performing talents, “Picture Incomplete” would have to be deemed a triumph, for throughout the evening Kendall gets to showcase his formidable vocal, dramatic, comedic, and characterization skills—not to mention a winning stage presence; his work is a pleasure to watch.
However, viewed as a theatre piece, it is less successful. The most serious problem is that it is lacking in specifics—the details that we, as an audience, need if we are to understand the central character—who is identified only as “the storyteller”—and take an active interest in him and in the issues that face him. The storyteller tells us, in song, that he has developed the practice of looking the other way when confronted by street beggars—but we’re not given information about the psychological significance or existential impact of this behavior, so it is of no more than casual import. We learn practically nothing about the street beggar, himself, so we aren’t able take a position on his plight.
The storyteller tells us that he had become dependent on pills and booze, grown to over 300 pounds, and developed a debilitating sleep disorder. While we may be concerned about these problems in a general sense, the man is rather a cipher, so our concern is more academic than emotional. Similarly, in “A Father’s Lament” the storyteller grieves over not having had children; it’s actually a very touching song, but it springs from nowhere, and since it lacks a specific context, its poignancy is diminished. It isn’t until quite late in the evening that a few details come out that suggest that perhaps the storyteller is, at least in part, based on Kendall, himself—but (a) that isn’t made really clear, and (b) even if true, this information would still be insufficient to give substance to the character.
There are a few other problems. Though Kendall does a marvelous job playing Mavis, the character, herself, isn’t all that interesting. We’ve seen her type before—an amalgam of Flip Wilson’s Geraldine, though more domestic, and some of the sassy ladies John Leguizamo has portrayed. Not unappealing, but not sharp enough. The preacher doesn’t come on until after the piece is essentially over—so not only is he a tedious character, his appearance is anti-climactic.
The show was directed by Greg Ganakas. The frequent—or did it just seem so?—emphatic slamming of the lid of the trunk that symbolizes the storyteller’s past life is no substitute for grounded dramatics. With the exception of a dull song about using alcohol to escape from life, Michael Polese has contributed an attractive score. The orchestrations are by Adam Klipple, who accompanies on the piano, joined by Brian Floody on drums and, except for opening night, Chris Tarry on bass.
It’s a great pity about the show’s deficiencies, for Kendall’s talents merit a stronger piece—and his performance deserves nothing but the highest praise.
Roy Sander has been covering cabaret and theatre for over thirty years. He’s written cabaret and theatre reviews, features, and commentary for seven print publications, most notably Back Stage, and for CitySearch on the Internet. He covered cabaret monthly on “New York Theatre Review” on PBS TV, and cabaret and theatre weekly on WLIM-FM radio. He was twice a guest instructor at the London School of Musical Theatre. A critic for BistroAwards.com, he is also the site’s Reviews Editor; in addition, he is Chairman of the Advisory Board of MAC.
