THE MEMORY OF WATER, by Shelagh Stephenson

Three sisters return to their childhood home on the eve of their mother’s funeral—and discover that grief has a way of loosening old memories, sharpening old wounds, and inviting uncomfortable truths to the surface. The Memory of Water, by Shelagh Stephenson, is a sharply observed dark comedy about family, loss, and the stories we tell ourselves to survive. At once biting and deeply human, the play captures the strange rhythms of mourning: laughter at the wrong moments, arguments over trivial details, and the quiet realization that no two people remember the same past in quite the same way. Produced by Burbage Theatre Co in partnership with WomensWork Theatre Collaborative, The Memory of Water balances wit and emotional weight with clarity and restraint—inviting audiences to recognize themselves, honestly and unflatteringly, in the way families love, fail, and endure.