Forgiveness From Heaven is a wealthy eighteenth century Chinese woman with bound feet. She enjoys her husband’s attention as Blessing From Heaven takes much pride in Forgiveness From Heaven’s small feet (golden lotus feet).
Later, her husband Blessing From Heaven dismisses her because her toes falls off due to gangrene which was caused by the practice of foot-binding. Forgiveness From Heaven stays at the hospital by herself and starts to use different drugs and joints. She eventually dies in the hospital next to Wanda who has breast cancer.
After Forgiveness From Heaven passed away in the hospital, her spirit unbound her feet. Using the red silk, she started dancing the Chinese ribbon dance with great joy bringing the play to an end.
The play centered around three women – 18th-century Chinese first wife who’s toes are falling off from her bound feet therefore abandoned by her husband 19th-century neurotic English wife who loves reading and is forced to have her ovaries taken for “moral elevation”. Present day aging New Jersey party girl who is a cosmetic surgery addict and is diagnosed with breast cancer
They meet in the waiting room as they wait to see a doctor and they are put into the same recovery room after their individual surgeries.
Hannah Wilson as Victoria
Naya Chang as Forgiveness From Heaven
Sara Oliva as Wanda
in Lisa Loomer’s The Waiting Room, directed by Janet Marrison at Brandeis Theater Company.
David Wilson was the music and sound design, you could get a glimpse of the show by listening to the music clips (with images) on his website at http://www.dw-design.com/DW_Design/The_Waiting_Room.html