The Journal

Issue date: 12/1/05 Section: LifeStyle

Becca Flinn (standing) Kim Horner (left) and Cj Merriman (right) play sisters struggling to cope with the death of their mother in "The Memory of Water."

The seriousness of death and the comedy of family relations come together in a story of three sisters, at three different stages of their lives, on the eve of their mother's funeral in "The Memory of Water." The Webster University Conservatory Center of Theatre Arts' newest play opened Nov. 30 and will run for 10 shows, ending Dec. 4.

"This is a contemporary piece and a dark comedy based around the way the sisters deal with their mother's death," said stage manager Whitney Martin, a junior stage management major.

Six Webster students make up the cast of this contemporary play set in 1996. Written by British-born Shelagh Stephenson in 1997, the story explores how the deceased mother touched the lives of each of her daughters. The sisters' memories serve as a way for them to come to terms with her death.

"The play represents romantic and family relationships," Martin said. "The comedic parts are as effective as the serious parts."

Martin said people find the story humorous because the audience can identify with the challenge each sister faces. Teresa is the structured older sister. The middle sister, Mary, is more of a flexible character, able to go with the flow of life. Catherine, the youngest sister, is a talkative, high-energy character Martin described as being "emotionally young."

Teresa is played by senior Becca Flinn, a regional theater major. Flinn said she has two favorite scenes in the play.

"My favorite scenes are when I am out of control and drunk, because of its complexity, and the scene where we are staring at the coffin in the moment of extremely uncomfortable silence, because of its simple complexity," Flinn said.

Although the sisters bicker, there is serenity between them regarding their mother's death.

"This is a story where you are laughing with the characters and you are crying with the characters," Martin said.

Junior Erin Anderson, a musical theater major, plays Vi, the mother.

"The unique thing about my character is that I've just died, so I embody the memory of Vi in her prime," Anderson said. "It's been an interesting process to be able to play with just how real my character is and how exaggerated she is as well."

Continued...

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