Emotional and Moving Play “The Bench” Opens Mojalet New Location

By TR Robertson
Mojalet Dance Collective has reopened in a new space in The Vine Arts Village in Rancho Bernardo celebrated with an emotional play by Jerry Hager, Valerie Hager-Slavin and Scott Slavin called “The Bench.” The play featured San Diego mime and movement artist Jerry Hager and his daughter, Los Angeles theater artist Valerie Hager-Slavin, directed by Scott Slavin, in a 55-minute production about relationships, family, redemption and forgiveness, loss and love. Valerie is an award-winning writer-performer, director and movement artist and Jerry is an award-winning Teaching Artist and Arts Specialist. The powerful play was described in the program as, “The Bench” is a devised two-person movement and dialogue-based play that grapples with loss and forgiveness through the lens of the relationship between a parent and a child.” Not a dry eye remained in the house by the end of the physically demanding play.
The story line was a collaboration between the three artists that began last May. Baxter, the father, has returned, as a ghost, to the bench where his last conversation with his daughter was an argument. Father and daughter have gone through a devastating, traumatic series of events beginning with the death of Baxter’s wife, his abandonment of his daughter Ray at age 7 and his attempt at reconciliation after years and health issues have passed. After his death, Baxter wants to move on, but must first try and explain to his daughter why he did what he did and get her to forgive him.
The play brings up numerous complex and personal questions many of us may have thought about at one time or another. How would you like to be remembered? If you had a chance to change things in your life, what would you change? If, after your passing, you could return, even if just for a moment, and could speak with a loved one, what would that conversation be? How important is love and forgiveness in your life? All important and thought-provoking questions presented on stage by Valerie and Jerry in a moving, physically demanding and emotionally draining performance. Jerry, as Baxter, sums up the overall feeling of the play when he says, “Grief is a love that has nowhere to go,” when he and his daughter are approaching an understanding of what has led them to that moment in their relationship.
The play ran for three performances for the re-opening of Mojalet’s new space. If you do hear of “The Bench” returning to the stage, make it a must-see on your list of theater productions to take in. For more information about Mojalet Dance Collective go to www.mojalet.com.