"The Absolute Brightness Of Leonard Pelkey,” begins with one man, a cluttered desk, and a flood of blue light. The man onstage is James Lecesne, the writer and single performer of the show, as well as the co-founder of the Trevor Project and writer of TREVOR, which won an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film. If you go into the show with this in mind, you’ll likely create some high expectations, and it will certainly live up to them.
There are only so many adjectives to describe this show. In short, it’s fantastic. It’s equal parts dark and light, humorous and insightful, exciting yet calming. It is such an incredible and necessary show. And every part of the performance, even small mistakes, contribute to its brilliance.
Not to highlight the mistakes, but they are truly a testament to how well-crafted the show is. At one point, Lecesne fumbles with his glasses as he transforms into Gloria, a nosey but loveable widow. During his fumbling, his mic slips and he readjusts it. Although this wasn’t a part of the performance, you can feel, even while watching the show from home, that the audience is right there with him. And somehow, it adds to the character.
Speaking of characters, Lecesne plays nothing short of ten of them, and he does so which such commitment and humour. From his first transformation, you can tell that he is a powerhouse of a performer. Lecesne believably shifts from character to character without costume changes and most times, without props. The way he dances from accent to accent seems effortless. Had this play been performed by eight people, it just wouldn’t have been the same. Lecesne gives it light, which makes sense as the play is called "The Absolute Brightness Of Leonard Pelkey.”
I don’t want to give too much away, so I’m going to steer clear of a lot of details, but the play is about Leonard Pelkey, a teenage boy who goes missing and Chuck DeSantis, the detective who’s assigned to his case. Early on, we learn that Leonard is a kid who was frequently described as “too much.” It’s this "too-much-ness” that gets him bullied, but also draws people to him. He is unapologetically flamboyant and queer, which terrifies some people in his town, while also giving others the courage to be themselves. As Marianne, the woman who maintained a hairstyle from 1985 until she met Leonard put it, “That’s the thing about Leonard, he saw us, not the way we were, but the way we hoped to be.”
The play is filled with so many magical moments where we learn how Leonard has touched people’s lives. He gave Auto, the clock store owner a second chance, reinvigorated Buddy’s drama and dance school, and Gloria, who never meets him, becomes fascinated with his disappearance. He is out of this world, in all of the best ways.
Something must also be said about the incredible lighting and sound of this show. The lighting is simple, yet effective. Blue light makes a frequent appearance and it is always used differently and intelligently. The lighting underscores so many moments with such beauty. It almost feels cinematic at times. Overall, I cannot recommend this piece enough. If you get a chance to see it, SEE IT.
Reviewer - Rebecca Tessier
on - 20/6/20
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