Volver

Written By: Ilse Castro Corona

Directed By: Ilse Castro Corona

California Institute of the Arts | CA, United States

Volver is a theatrical journey through memory, food, and family centred on Tita, a woman living with dementia. Set in her kitchen, the place where stories are cooked before they are told, Tita prepares meals for the audience, her granddaughter Nana, and their family. As ingredients are chopped and dishes prepared, music, dance, and flavour awaken fragments of Tita’s past, turning each recipe into a memory of the land, her life, the people she loved and the people she hated.

Playing Nana in Volver was one of the most emotionally demanding roles Meher has taken on. Nana carries the responsibility of caring for her grandmother, Tita, while navigating the painful and often frightening memories that surface through Tita’s dementia. Portraying that kind of love, patience, and vulnerability night after night required a deep emotional investment. Because Nana is on stage for nearly the entire show, the role demanded constant presence and stamina. The emotional arc included moments of tenderness, frustration, and grief, and there were specific points in the performance where Nana’s emotions had to break through into tears. What made the experience especially challenging and exciting was that the show felt unpredictable every night. Tita’s memories, the rhythm of the storytelling, and the energy of the audience meant that no two performances were exactly the same. Ultimately, playing Nana taught Meher a great deal about emotional endurance and listening on stage. It pushed her to stay open and responsive in the moment, trusting both my scene partners and the story we were telling together.