The Memory of Water

by Shelagh Stephenson | directed by Cassie Tillett

11-13, 17-20 July

Can you feel nostalgia for something that never really existed?

Three sisters gather at their mother’s house for her funeral. Through their arguments, tears, and laughter we learn of the joys and conflicts of their shared childhood, as well as the distortions of memory.

This powerful, painful and often hilarious illustration of family dynamics and influence won the Olivier Award for Best Comedy in 2000. It reflects on all our hopes, dreams, self-delusion and disappointments, and on the power of the past – imaginary or real - to shape our present and our future.

Photography: Cassie Tillett

"Sewell Barn company at its finest - superb direction, performing, staging. A truly first class production by an equally first class team of creatives." Karen

"It was phenomenal - it really couldn't be faulted. Many congratulations to you all." Clare

"I thought this was a great production, with a perfectly cast ensemble and meticulously detailed design and mood throughout. Congratulations to all involved." Richard

"Many congratulations on an incredible production with some phenomenal acting. You deserve a bigger stage to share your excellence." Peter

"This is the best production I've seen in a long while. I found myself laughing, gasping & cringing throughout the performance. Brilliantly done!" Jane

"Stupendous, in all regards. So glad I made it. Congratulations to you all." Aamer

"Fabulous play. Fast-paced, thought-provoking and also funny. A triumph of a performance by all!" Hayley

"What a fantastic play & performances by everyone involved. We really enjoyed it." Trevor

"Thoroughly enjoyed the show last night (second Thursday). It seems to me that the quality of theatre to be enjoyed at Sewell Barn just keeps on increasing. Wonderful play superbly acted. Do go and see it if you can." Kevin

"What a lovely evening I had at the Barn yesterday. You had cast the play perfectly and I laughed out loud, between feeling sorry for and sad for all the characters. I know a funny script is most important, but it is only funny if delivered with perfect timing and all the actors had that, especially Catherine, who had me wanting to shake her and hug her in equal measure. I had seen Jo at the Maddermarket and knew how good she was, but every character delivered. I didn't know Mike was being played by an understudy until I saw it on the board in the interval, and didn't he do well? I wondered why a man would come through the window to get out of the snow, with a book in his hand, but he only glanced surreptitiously to cue himself in and knew the script so well it did not distract at all. It must have been such a lot of work to get it to that standard, thank you for getting it to that point, so we could relax and just enjoy the whole thing." Jenny

"In this production of Shelagh Stephenson’s Olivier Award-winning play, the creative team has struck the balance between humour and anguish perfectly... [a] beautiful, sensitive production." Ray Tempesta - East Anglian Theatre Podcase [click here for full review]

"This play – and this production of it – pulls of the rare feat of being deeply moving and riotously funny; a dark comedy that touches raw nerves and funny bones in near equal measure. A lot of the credit for that goes to Shelagh Stephenson’s script, with its sharp observation, characterisation, and deft phrasing, but director Cassie Tillett has also elicited stunning performances from her talented cast." James Goffin, Cultivated [click here for full review]

"My heart is tender this morning - this powerful, funny, poignant play, beautifully performed, at Sewell Barn, explores and stirs memories and losses and how we all tend to sit in our own perceptions of the past, how memory is a creative act of storytelling in itself. It’s left me feeling and thinking a lot which is what good theatre does." Helen

"What an amazing production! Incredible performances - moving and hilarious. Well done all!" Hollie

"What a super production - really engaging. The actors were fantastic and the comedic bits were really funny." Annie

"Second week of this insightful and brilliant show. A delight to be captured by this bittersweet funny play so beautifully acted and presented." Shelagh

"Saw a really excellent production of The Memory of Water at Sewell Barn Theatre last night, directed by Cassie Tillett, brilliant cast taking us through a very emotional journey of love and loss (and laughter, too). Yes, of course I cried! If you’re in Norwich catch it if you can." Alex

"Saw this on Thursday - it is truly an excellent play and exquisitely performed." Jonathan

"Amazing performances by all. Fab show. Definitely book some tickets if you haven't already." Diane

"A great & must see production. Throughly enjoyed Saturday evening's performance." 'Head Verger'

"Just been to see this excellent play at Sewell Barn Theatre in Norwich... It was great to see my good friend Laura, who I’d only previously known in a senior education role, on stage and acting her socks off. Sometimes doing something new is appreciating someone else in a completely different role. It’s a good play, managing to be sad, profound and funny all in one small space, well done Laura and all the cast for taking us all somewhere that was both different and yet familiar. Last performances on Saturday so there’s still time." Colin

"Huge congratulations to Cassie Tillett and her cast and crew after a wonderful opening night of The Memory of Water at the Sewell Barn Theatre. This is such a rich depiction of grief in all its rawness and complexity yet it's also funny and ridiculous in equal measure as the lives of the three sisters and their mother are revealed. The performances of the women, their men and their relationships are beautifully and tenderly conveyed. The coffin is amazing but the most credit must go to John Holden for picking up the role of Mike with three days' notice due to the sudden illness of the original cast member - John deserves an Oscar for best performance in a pink bath towel ever. Lots more opportunities for everyone to see this." Clare Williamson [FOH Manager, Sewell Barn]

"It was excellent, great acting, powerful story, moving and funny." Gill

"Congratulations to Cassie and company! A brilliantly written play, beautifully performed by the whole company. Special shout out to John Holden, practically off book with just three days notice, very impressive!" Robin

"A very fine play - well worth performing!! And how well the cast and support team provided an excellent evening - congratulations to all involved!!" Ian

"Congratulations to the cast and crew - we really enjoyed last night's performance. Wishing you a very successful run. So recommend this show." Diane

[Review of earlier rehearsal] "As I’m away on holiday during the run of this show, the director and cast of The Memory of Water were kind enough to allow me to watch a full run rehearsal this evening so that I don’t miss out! And, wow, am I grateful!! What an exceptional piece of work. It’s a brilliantly written script and this ridiculously talented cast play it perfectly. I laughed (boy, did I laugh, it’s hilarious) I cried (apologies for the noisy sniffs), and I was utterly captivated from start to finish. I urge you to book and see this show. It’s a very special one." Alison