When recounting a story the storyteller can change how real life events actually happened. Truth can be shortened, enhanced or completely altered to create an experience that may not be entirely accurate. Sarah Kendall’s A Day In October balances perfectly, at times teetering, between being utterly morbid and oddly hilarious – all the while showcasing how brilliant a storyteller she truly is.
The idea of a storyteller’s creative license is where Kendall’s night begins, using a seemingly pointless story of a trip to watch Alien 2 with her father, and taking a tangent that involved Kendall impersonating an alien. While the audience may have been baffled as to where the night was going, they immediately got a taste of how the night would flow, stretched out stories with punchlines dotted throughout.
A Day In October draws on the events of a single day in Kendall’s high school years – what she describes as The Miracle Of George Peach – and the things that happened before and after this significant memory.
Kendall paints a brilliant portrait of her awkward high school years. When her hometown was known as the heroin/youth offenders/teenage pregnancy capital, her first day at her new school felt like walking into the Mad Max thunderdome and a giant demonic chook watched over all.
George didn’t have it easy, and Kendall tells of how she tried to take him under her wing, teach him how to navigate high school, all in the lead up to the significant day at school camp. There are no spoilers here, but Kendall’s charming storytelling will keep you hooked right until the big twist. Kendall fighting to balance a story that focuses on the effects of bullying, guilt and rewriting regret with just enough laughter.
Sarah Kendall is a great storyteller with a sharp wit and captivating energy, and her latest hour will have you laughing along, gaping in shock and maybe even wiping away a few tears. It’s quite a magic trick.
BY GLORIA BRANCATISANO
