The Memory of Water follows some familiar tropes. Members of a dysfunctional family gather for a loved ones’ funeral. Forced to be in the same room, they argue their conflicting perceptions of family history. Though hard to imagine, if any of my reviewing colleagues were ever tempted to petty mindedness they might dub this piece The Memory of Other Plays. However, the seeming familiarity of the plot has no doubt been enhanced by the presentation of other similar stories in the twenty seven years since this play was originally written.
But the plot is not the play, and it’s certainly not the production. Playwright Shelagh Stephenson’s take on family differences is hilarious and director Rachel Chant elicits from her cast brilliant comic performances. Madeleine Jones as Catherine is especially engaging, presenting a personality whose enormous energy knows no matching purpose. Jones’ portrayal of this lost soul is both terrifically funny and deeply poignant. Thomas Campbell’s Frank is also extremely amusing, as he desperately tries to maintain distance from the family craziness. Michala Banas as Mary is the emotional heart of the piece, with sarcasm balancing beautifully with vulnerability she attempts to understand her relationships, both with the living and with the dead.
Designer Veronique Benett deserves special mention; her vibrant set and costuming create the perfect space for comic fun.
Not that it’s just frivolity; one of the tropes of modern theatre (and one I don’t grow tired of) is that it has philosophical ideas. The title invites us to consider memory. I’m not sure if the play’s observation that memories are neither objective nor deliberate will strike many audience members as particularly insightful – however, eighteen hours after seeing it, my memory of the play is neither entirely objective nor entirely deliberate.
But the glory of the philosophical in theatre is that it provokes reflection. Rather than being told what to think, we’re teased into thought.
Paul Gilchrist
The Memory of Water by Shelagh Stephenson
at Ensemble Theatre until 25 Nov
Image by Prudence Upton
Theatre Red 