Sisters Try to Clean a Cluttered ‘Room’

Writer and director Paul Saucido’s meandering “The Furthest Room,” a play about three daughters reuniting at their mother’s funeral, could use some judicious editing and better character development. But there’s a glimmer of promise in this uneven production at the Stella Adler Theater.

The lead actress, Lysa Flores, has a lovely voice, and this lends some credence to her role as singing sensation and recovering addict Sage Flores. Sage and her disapproving sister, Christina (Anne Apra) unite to clean up their mother’s house. Ezzie (Gizelle Loren) is the slang-slinging sister who cared for their mother (Marabina Jaimes) after Christina and Sage left home.

The girls are haunted by their deceased father’s infidelities, their mother’s devotion, and anguish over him and their own guilt.

As director, Saucido breaks the continuity with noisy, graceless transitions. As writer, he abruptly changes his characters’ personalities to suit the dramatic action and allows Flores’ musical moments to undercut the story’s momentum. It is a script that attempts to say too many things, but it could be magical given some polish.

*

* “The Furthest Room,” Stella Adler Theater, 6773 Hollywood Blvd., 2nd Floor, Hollywood. Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; this Sunday, 2 p.m. Ends July 3. $18. (818) 513-0748. Running time: 3 hours.