The Memory Of Water

“The Memory of Water” by Shelagh Stephenson is a play I first came across in the late 90s. It is an impressive read. If there is such a beast it is perhaps better as a text than it is in performance. I was interested to note that director Rachel Bamford had been equally impressed. Since it first saw the light of day in 1996 it has become, if not a staple, certainly a regular tragi -comedy in the canon of amateur theatre. One reason is of course because it offers meaty roles to the 3 main characters all played by females. The male roles are less attractively drawn, and some ways even underwritten when compared to the three sisters’ parts.

One major theme of the play is recollection. We are introduced to three women meeting together at the funeral preparations for their late mother. They discuss their relationships with her, each one remembering something different. Yet when they talk of shared incidents they all can remember it is apparent that they have different memories, particularly, about the significance of the events. Memory is a fickle thing. They have each led very different lives since leaving home and have no common ground to share other than their kinship and experience of life with their mother in the house where the play is set.

It is a long play. To hold the audience’s attention at every turn requires great skill. There were many touching moments, yet I came away with the feeling of it being like the curate’s egg, good in parts.

It also needed to be made clear what year we were in.

For me the set was far too large. It might have been better to draw the flats in thereby increasing the sense of intimacy and giving more opportunity for effects. Likewise, the bed where we first discover Mary might have been better seen had it been raked. . How many phones seem to ring from outside the room? Surely, we are technologically advanced sufficiently to place a speaker near the location of the phone on stage.  Yet I cavil!

The ghost of Vi, the mother, was well drawn: ethereal and unworldly. I thought to dim the lights on her entrances was a neat touch to depict her presence. There was an intriguing guile about Vi. Gayle Knight showed us something of her machinations referred to by her daughters during the play.

 The positioning of the coffin down stage centre meant that action had to be played behind it. By locating it where it was had the result of forcing the actors to hover behind it so at times, we only saw the upper parts of their bodies. Yes, the coffin is making a powerful statement, but….

I have always worried about Mike. His story is not a strong one and as a result the actor playing him must work hard to create someone in whom we can take an interest. Paddy McDonough battled bravely and overcame this challenge admirably.  His use of facial expressions assisted his interpretation. Paddy can clearly act. I look forward to seeing him in a more sympathetic role very soon. Offered a more robust back story is Teresa’s long-suffering husband Frank. John Dewhurst ran with this opportunity. He moved well and always had a keen eye as to where he should be positioned on stage. As a result, the audience warmed to him appreciating his comic timing and the sheer roundness of character.

I am writing from the perspective of a first night. It is an axiom that first nights are not as polished as later performances. I am sure this was the case with this production. The play took time to warm up. When it did in the second act the actors had found their feet. The pace picked up. It was almost like watching a different show.

To work well the audience must appreciate and sympathise with the stories the three sisters tell. Catherine, the wilful self-opinionated wild child, did not seem wild enough. Although enthusiastic Stacey Anderton did not offer us the full-on performance that I suspect she is capable of and which this eccentrically drawn character demands. We must hate her at times yet quickly be seduced into believing she is a victim of circumstance and of her own poor decisions in life. Mary, the only character who interacts with Vi was subtly played by Rachel Bamford. I liked the range of emotions she used. Mary holds the play together in many respects. Rachel did this and is to be applauded for her success in doing so. The middle sister Teresa is the most difficult to play. She is a neurotic: over fond of the bottle. That she is a tortured unsatisfied soul was at the heart of Michelle Arthur’s performance. I thought her drunken diatribe in act two was magnificently played, the highlight of the show in fact. What are a few prompts between friends when you are so wrapped up in your character? I was a little surprised however to see Teresa so sober and hangoverless just a few supposed hours later. Her Jameson’s must have been diluted!

This was a performance that grew on me as the night progressed. Well done to all concerned.

Thank you, Rachel for reintroducing me to “an old friend”.

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