34 planet of the arts / december 1997 IDENTITIES Weekend Healer by Corinn Wyatt aively | went to The Weekend Healer at the mother as well as her child enlightened me throughout the East Cultural Centre on November 14 think- play. The Weekend Healer isolates and acknowledges the ing that it was about a guru or some kind of feelings of Lindalou and her mother. One may vicariously Heavens-Gate-hippie cult trying to save our use this play to take an objective view of the tribulations of souls. I was completely taken aback when | a life possibly more disturbing than your own. | think discovered it was a contemporary satire about a dysfunctional anyone can find relevancy with the conflicts faced by family. I had to come to terms with how much it resembled the Lindalou, regardless of their own personal experience. lives of those I have been acquainted with. The Weekend Healer presents an accurate depiction The plot revolves around Lindalou and her mild mannered of a woman struggling with a history of molestation =F sixteen-year-old son Curtis as they visit with Lindalou’s wid- and abusive relationships. In Lindalou’s particular owed mother, Bettina, in Scarborough. Lindalou resents her situation she is mentally and financially dependent mother but has come in order to escape her abusive husband on her husband and cannot afford to leave. In real- in Cape Breton. Lindalou is the blunt swearing, drinking, ity, situations like this exist: smoking, witty protagonist. She has bravely survived a trau- battery is the single major injury to women, matic life of molestation by her father and unexpected preg- more than auto accidents, rape and muggings. nancy at sixteen, an event that compelled her to marry an abu- 2000-4000 women are beaten to death annu- sive man. While still a child herself she raised her son on her ally in the US. (Time Magazine 09/05/83) own. * one in four women are severely beaten dur- Her mother Bettina on the other hand plays her religious ing the course of their marriage. prudent counterpart who would do anything to forget the approximately one third of all battered past. Later, when Curtis is abducted, all of Lindalou’s fears and women report have grown up in violent painful memories of her molestation by her father begin to and/or abusive families. resurface. Under this insurmountable stress Lindalou uses + 2 million women are battered every = black humour to confront Bettina, whose response is that of year worldwide. denial, an understandable reaction of a wife protecting her * every 13 seconds a women is beaten. husband’s reputation as an outstanding pillar of the commu- (Time Magazine 07/15/94) ol E nity. Having this poor example of a father figure compels Lindalou into her own abusive relationship. After Lindalou is beaten into a state of unconsciousness by her husband, she seeks refuge with Bettina only to be rejected once more by one she loves. Lindalou is completely without support or assistance to free herself, she has little choice but to return to the hostility and fear of her own home. In Bettina’s soliloquy, she states: “I only raised you the best tft tee ees : nay ee I knew how...” This statement struck me as ironic. It is used as : = Mass : ; add tii! an excuse or validation of one’s lack of maturity when dealing » with the real world. The internal moral struggle of the grand- wz S 2 x z = o re) Es The Women’s Monument, “Marker of Change”, a memorial for the fourteen women murdered on December 6, 1989 in Montreal was unveiled at Thornton Park in Vancouver. Canadian artist Beth Alber’s fourteen pink granite benches, with hollows on the surface to gather rainwater, signifying “pools of tears,” are enclosed in a protective circle of granite clay, on which all contributors are named. 34 plonet of the arts / december 1997 IDENTITIES Weekend Healer by Corinn Wyatt ‘The Women’s Monument, “Marker of Change, a memorl forthe fourteen Unveled at Thornton Park in Vancouver, Canadian artist Beth Alber fourteen pl ‘gather rainwater signifying “pools of tears” are endosed in a protective cde of