The Memory of Water is a comedy written by English playwright Shelagh Stephenson, first staged at Hampstead Theatre in 1996. It won the 2000 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Comedy.
Mary, Catherine and Teresa are sisters who think they share a common past. A world of disputed bicycles, midnight ice-cream sodas, Mum’s cocktail dresses and perfumed advice – a seaside childhood punctuated by the odd monosyllable from Dad. But where does reality end and family myth begin? Why has war broken out in Mother’s bedroom – and why is Vi, so recently deceased, still with us?
“Stephenson’s play balances riotous humour and pathos, with its melancholia lingering in your memory.” – The Guardian
Presented by Clock & Spiel Productions
Writer – Shelagh Stephenson
Director – Hailey McQueen
Running time: 180 minutes, including interval
Discover all the shows of Flight Path Theatre’s 2026 Season: Stories that take us somewhere.