Are there rules for widowhood?

 

 

(from left) Christine Estabrook as Hope, Ben Graney as Craig and Zoë Winters as Melody in the West Coast Premiere of Bekah Brunstetter's Be a Good Little Widow, directed by Hal Brooks, May 11 - June 9, 2013 at The Old Globe. Photo by Ed Krieger.
(from left) Christine Estabrook as Hope, Ben Graney as Craig and Zoë Winters as Melody in the West Coast Premiere of Bekah Brunstetter’s Be a Good Little Widow, directed by Hal Brooks, May 11 – June 9, 2013 at The Old Globe. Photo by Ed Krieger.

 

 

Eva Trieger
Eva Trieger

By Eva Trieger

SAN DIEGO-The death of a parent is like the loss of a limb.  The death of a child or a spouse is more like having part of your heart excised with a dull, rusty blade.  The cut is jagged, the hemorrhaging persistent. Each time the flow is staunched, it is only with the most ephemeral sigh.

This territory is often unchartered, but the Old Globe plumbs the depths in the premiere of Be a Good Little Widow which runs through June 9.  Bekah Brunstetter wrote this one act play about the intricate relationship between Melody (Zoe Winters) and Hope (Christine Estabrook) the wife and mother, respectively, of Craig (Ben Graney).

Under the direction Hal Brooks, the audience is privy to some of the most devastating, confusing and pivotal moments that occur in the aftermath of a premature death.  Mother-in-law, Hope, and Melody, a young bride transplanted from Colorado, have met only once before, at the young couple’s wedding.  This creates a great deal of tension, as expected when two world collide.  Then compound that collision with an unforeseeable, unconscionable loss: Craig is killed in a plane crash.

Melody questions her own feelings of worthiness as her mother-in-law registers disapproval about Melody’s black mini dress, her wish to deliver a eulogy, her immature and desperate flirtation with Craig’s employee, Brad (Kelsey Kurz), and perhaps most of all, Melody’s desire to proffer bowls of Skittles candies to the funeral guests.

The play underscored the emptiness and hollow ache that attend such loss.  Through ritual comes relief.  Immediately upon seeing these two women try to cope with tragedy I understood the beauty of the Jewish practice of saying kaddish and sitting shiva.  This deliberate ritual filled script provides the closure that is so necessary to recovering one’s balance, and remaining vital in this life.

As Jews we have a built in process that teaches us to grieve and remember, but also enables us to heal and move on.  Specific guidelines commandeer our vessel through the salty sea of tears and devastation, but constructively help us to reassemble our world filled with meaning, purpose and respect.

Be a Good Little Widow” is a dark comedy, very well acted, and successfully evoking laughter and tears.  Each relationship resonates with truth and humor, and the audience feels kinship and sympathy for each member of this gifted cast.

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Trieger is a freelance writer specializing in covering the arts. She may be contacted at eva.trieger@sdjewishworld.com