Be a Good Little Widow

Reviewed by Pauline Adamek

It’s hard to tell if Bekah Brunstetter’s play is a tired string of clichés or if any dramatization of dealing with the loss of a spouse, as in Be a Good Little Widow, inevitably hits the same familiar notes.

Brunstetter establishes her groundwork with the commonplace beats of a young couple struggling with the challenges of their swift new marriage: She’s lonely in their new home in a new town. He’s often traveling for work, but it will all be better “once the merger is over.” She’s nervous about having the ‘Monster-In-Law’ she barely knows over for dinner . . . Her happiness at his arrival home is punctured by his admission he has to head out again all too soon. His disappointment that she has failed to find a vocation — or any kind of gainful occupation — is quickly glossed over so they can enjoy their reunion, including a hackneyed tender slow dance to a jazz standard.

Yes, these kids, Melody (Larisa Oleynik) and Craig (Donovan Patton), are so utterly in love. Naturally, his sudden death in a plane crash rips the bottom out of Melody’s world and soon she’s free-falling with all-consuming grief. Enter Mom to take over the funeral proceedings. We’ve gained an impression of Craig’s mom, Hope (the formidable Caroline Aaron), when she visits for dinner. Hope’s chilly disapproval of all things — decor, cuisine — and domineering tendencies are kept in check, but we get the picture. Inevitably, mom and daughter-in-law clash over their shared loss.

While the material feels stale, it nevertheless contains many affecting scenes, thanks to a collection of well-tuned performances from the cast of four. The fourth is Brad (Trey McCurley) — Craig’s young assistant who is both hit hard by his boss’ death and smitten with his widow. Awkward scenes between the two are well-handled.

Playing Melody (and co-producing her showcase) Larisa Oleynik is perky and bright, negotiating the rollercoaster of emotions with aplomb. Both men are great in their respective roles as well. Despite a handful of flashback scenes, Donovan Patton’s Craig is woefully underwritten; he is merely a saintly good-guy gone too soon. Veteran of stage and screen, Caroline Aaron is predictably fantastic as the ultimately sympathetic mom, especially in her show-stopping emotional break down and later scene of grace towards Melody.

NoHo Arts Center, 11136 Magnolia Blvd., N. Hlwyd.; Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 3 p.m.; through May 25. (818) 508-7101, www.nohoace.com

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