The Memory of Water - Three Sisters and a Funeral AT THE OCTAGON BOLTON

Review by Hilary Dawes

Lotte Wakeham directs this 30^th anniversary revival of Shelagh Stephenson’s award winning comedy, set in the winter of 1996.

It is the eve of their mother’s funeral and Mary, Teresa and Catherine return to their childhood home for the first time in years.  As they sort through clothes, keepsakes and ghosts of the past, the whisky flows, resentments surface and long-held silences crack open with unexpected laughter.

Mary has spent the night in her mother’s bed, much to the dismay of sister Teresa, who

arrives early that morning, insistent on sorting through their mother’s effects before the funeral the next day.  Youngest sister Catherine bursts in with a flurry of shopping bags, totally self-absorbed, more concerned with a telephone call from her boyfriend.  Once all together,  the bickering starts, with many jibes and mis-remembered events from their childhood.

When Mary’s married boyfriend Mike arrives in the middle of a snowstorm, we soon learn that their relationship is not without its problems.

As the girls attempt to sort through their mother’s clothes, chaos and hilarity ensue as they pick out dresses, trying them on and reminiscing, becoming more and more hysterical. As Act 1 closes, Teresa’s disgruntled husband Frank finally appears.  We later learn that Teresa and Frank’s marriage is not going smoothly either, and as Teresa becomes more and more hilariously drunk, many home truths rise to the surface.

The sombre subject matter is constantly lifted by many laugh-out-loud moments, with some great one-liners and brilliant comic timing, and judging from the audience’s appreciative laughter and applause, this is a story likely to resonate with many of us in some way.

There were superlative performances from all cast members, with the complex and nuanced  characters of the three sisters beautifully portrayed by Polly Lister as the clever and troubled doctor Mary;  Victoria Brazier as slightly neurotic Teresa, and Helen Flanagan as youngest daughter Catherine, with her outrageous over the top behaviour only highlighting her many  insecurities.  Vicky Binns gave a wonderful performance as

the ghost of Vi, the girls' mother, a glamorous and elegant version of her younger self

Charlie de Melo and Reginald Edwards brilliantly portrayed Mike and Frank, each struggling to understand and placate their respective partners.

The whole play takes place in Vi’s bedroom, and the talented production team deserve high praise for producing such a beautifully detailed set, along with sound and lighting, immersing us in that claustrophobic atmosphere.

Don’t miss this hilarious yet moving family drama, running at the Octagon, Bolton until 21^st February 2026.

Tickets from £15

Visit: https://octagonbolton.co.uk/events/the-memory-of-water#dates-and-times

Octagon Theatre, Howell Croft South, Bolton, BL1 1SB