The Memory of Water Archives - North West End UK

27Feb

By Stephanie WiswallNo Comments

North West

The Memory of Water – Everyman Theatre

Welcome to 1996 and into the family home of three very different sisters as they reminisce, reveal and ruffle each other’s feathers after the passing of their beloved mother. Welcome to Olivier award winning comedy The Memory of Water by Shelagh Stephenson and directed by Lotte Wakeham. A quick witted, passionate and heartwarming show which takes you on a rollercoaster of a journey through all aspects of grief. From the anger, sadness, uncertainty, memories and comfort. This comedy takes a deceptively simple premise—three wildly different sisters reunited for their mother’s funeral—and turns it into a sharp, funny, and unexpectedly tender study of family friction and love. Set entirely in the bedroom of their late mother Vi. Entering the auditorium the staging is set (Katie Scott) yo...

The Memory of Water – Octagon Theatre

Three women return to their family home, preparing for their mother’s funeral. What follows is an exploration of life and grief, love and pain, secrets and memory, all wrapped up in an unexpectedly laughter-filled performance. Witty one liners and perfectly written comedy did light up the subject material and reminded me that there is humour in every situation, even if it feels inappropriate or clumsy sometimes. From the moment I entered the auditorium, I was drawn into the home and life of this woman who had died. The set (designed by Katie Scott) frays at the edges, cleverly inviting you to be a part of the moment, rather than just an external observer. This was key in helping me feel engaged in the play throughout. This is a slow-release play. Even though the characters seem to pr...

The Memory of Water – Hampstead Theatre

English playwright Shelagh Stephenson’s comedy returns to the Hampstead Theatre, where it was first staged in 1996, in a new revival directed by Alice Hamilton. The play deals with themes of grief and remembrance told through conversations between three sisters (and their partners) in the aftermath of their aged mother Vi’s death. Between managing the arrangements for the funeral and coming to terms with the reality of their mother’s demise, the sisters, namely Teresa, Catherine and Mary, begin to unpack incidents and conversations from the past. These “fleeting” strolls down memory lane are neither pleasant nor particularly therapeutic, for their confronted by personal demons and shared resentments they’ve held on to for far too long. The tension between them is characterized by the dysfu...