Have You Seen This Man?

Rob Lester READ TIME: 3 MIN.

There's no business like show business . Let me clarify that. There's no business like show business to bring out the wild and wacky side of human nature. Brandon Kalbaugh has written, directed, and co-produced a collection of short character bits representing some of the kinds of people and situations a struggling actor might encounter. Have You Seen This Man? presents some recognizable types in a parade of quick monologues and scenes, some of which are more entertaining than others. The writer has a pretty good ear for dialogue and his characters who are intended to be more realistic feel like people you've met. The exaggerated ones, such as the self-important casting directors, are effective in small doses and the The Two Spoons Theatre Company production wisely only gives us two spoonfuls of them so they don't overstay their welcome. Soon enough, we're on to the next bit. And the next. And the next.

Actors competing for the same roles at an audition sign-up, a worried mom chattering away to her son the wannabe-actor, the stranger met through a Craig'sList.com ad who is a goofy slacker and necessarily evil (translation: roommate); an actress running into someone on the street and taking the opportunity to brag about her recent accomplishments; self-appointed theater "experts" pontificating ..... Here and there, the bits are diverting. But the whole show feels too often like a bunch of disconnected acting exercises developed for the actors and don't add up to as much of a full experience for an audience. But there are some good ideas here and I wonder if here is a play waiting to happen that could be developed by using some of these with a more conventional story with a throughline and more consistent tone. As it is, it's a bunch of snapshots, and while some are worth a look they don't make for a scrapbook that would hold together.

The show begins a bit enigmatically with actors fighting over who gets to be in the light. Salim Rahman does fairly well here, with a sense of entitlement that frustrates the character played by Josh Carpenter, who has a nice sense of the absurd, capturing frustration entertainingly (he later comes out and sings a song earnestly and smoothly until he is summarily dismissed by someone barking out that hey, this isn't a musical). Brooke Chairone does some game work in some of the least meaty roles; the aforementioned three get the least stage time and generally the weaker bits, but display energy and good focus. Joe MacDougall, Brady Ovson, and Cinda Lawrence (one of the co-producers) get more stage time, playing various characters. Cinda Lawrence's chipper characters mentioned above, the mother and the boasting actress are too similar in style with her voice emotionally pitched high as if she's not sure she's being understood or listened to. Still, they ring truer than some of the others.

Some of the people we meet a few times. Whereas the older man giving advice becomes tedious, the high roommate with his dorky laugh, amusing himself and blithely optimistic, is the most welcome running bit. A scene parodying politicians presents easy targets in a broad hammy bit that goes on too long. When the show ends, one is left will a hit-and-miss feeling that there is surely potential in the parties involved, that there's some pleasure in watching the actors and writer/director work. But it needs to be taken to a new step, a fuller one. Nevertheless, those who have been and/or been around theater people for any length of time will laugh and/or wince in recognition of the people we meet onstage.


by Rob Lester

ROB LESTER returns to Edge in 2019 after several years of being otherwise occupied writing and directing musical theatre shows, working as a dramaturg, arts consultant, and contributing articles and reviews to various outlets. His long-running "Sound Advice" column covering cast albums and vocal CDs has been running regularly at www.TalkinBroadway.com for almost 15 years.

Read These Next