|
|
 |
|
|
|
A
Human Side To Menopause
|
Kerri
Kanelos
May
30th 2003 |
|
 Hot
flashes. Sagging breasts. Raging hormones.
Uncontrollable tears. Hairy chins. No one
said that menopause is a pleasant time in
a woman's life. Of course in American culture,
no one has really discussed "the change
of life" at all. Until Rose Weaver,
a local entertainment legend, melded her and
other women's experiences together into the
collection of monologues known as Menopause
Mama.
This performance
shines as a one-woman show. Each vignette
transforms Weaver into a dramatically different,
but equally significant character. One minute,
a naïve preteen girl is babbling on and
on comically about the misfortunes of menstruation.
After describing ten days of painful PMS and
five days of menstruation, the character simply
concludes, "my life is in fifteen
day fragments!" She appears later
in the performance on her way to the local
homeless shelter with a box full of her mother's
sanitary pads and tampons. Since her mother
is in the initial stages of menopause, "she
doesn't need them anymore."
A few moments
later, an older Jamaican woman weaves a tale
of depression and loss of sexual intimacy
with her husband. Since menopause began, she
can no longer enjoy reading the morning paper-every
story causes her to cry uncontrollably. She
is now forced to write all ideas into a notebook
for fear that a thought may be forgotten.
Still another
character tells a tale of heartache and prejudice
as she and her female partner attempt to have
a child through artificial insemination. They
choose the less expensive option of "home
fertilization" to avoid the stares
of others at the sperm bank.
These and the
other female character in these stories have
far more depth and vitality than the few men
that Weaver scatters throughout Menopause
Mama. I am not sure if the male characters
and their themes were added at a later date
to attract more men to the performance, but
I feel that they are not needed at all. These
monologues work together wonderfully as female
only pieces.
While others
have compared Weaver's work to the wildly
successful Vagina Monologues, I couldn't
disagree more. The Vagina Monologues
are very dark works, brazen and in your face.
They make the audience want to rise up out
of their seats in anger over the social and
political injustices against women. Weaver's
pieces, much like the radiant pink hues of
the stage, blend together and flow rather
smoothly over the many topics that encompass
growing older. None of Menopause Mama's
scenes are earth shattering or overly startling.
Weaver gets the point across in a more seasoned,
classy manner.
Menopause
Mama truly has the heart and soul to become
a national touring sensation. Weaver's acting,
storytelling and singing abilities are put
to the test for this performance and she passes
with flying colors. Each song in this performance
is catchy and worthy of its own soundtrack.
I highly recommend this performance for anyone-mother
and daughter, husband and wife, female friends
out on the town.
Menopause
Mama is currently playing at Perishable
Theatre now through June 29th. For tickets,
call Perishable at 401-331-2685, extension
101
This article was previously
published on www.lovethyjob.com. |
| |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
