Reviews

Sibling rivalry, familial guilt and black humour permeate the script of Shelagh Stephenson’s 1996 The Memory of Water as three sisters, who share little in common, reunite in the family home on the eve of their mother Vi’s, funeral. Childhood memories, remembered differently by each, come flooding back as they rummage through their mother’s belongings in her bedroom and come to terms with her death of Alzheimer’s disease.

Red Stitch and playwright Tom Holloway have enjoyed a long symbiotic relationship, each playing a part in the growth of the other, so it’s fitting that Holloway’s new play should have its world premiere with the company that has played such a large role in the development of the work.

It says something about how good a show is when you don’t feel like you’re watching actors on stage but instead watching real life. Such was the high calibre of LPAE’s Secret Bridesmaid’s Business.

A bride, her mum, and her bridesmaids are in a hotel room the night before the big day. Not everything goes to plan. What happens over the course of the night is at turns funny, sad, and heartfelt - but mostly funny, and even the groom pops in.

Hornsby Musical Society’s The Wedding Singer is a cube of bright 80s-era romcom fluffiness. The bright set, costumes, and of-the-era pop score of original tunes make for a pleasing night.