Shelagh Stephenson's 'The Memory of Water’ to be revived at Hampstead Theatre

Hampstead Theatre has confirmed programming through to October 2021.

Two new productions have been announced to open at Hampstead Theatre in the coming months. The Olivier Award-winning play The Memory of Water returns to Hampstead Theatre for its 25th anniversary from 3 September - 16 October, with the world premiere of Malindadzimu at Hampstead Downstairs from 17 September - 30 October.

"The Memory of Water has been on quite a journey since it premiered at Hampstead Theatre all those years ago" said The Memory of Water playwright Shelagh Stephenson. She continued to speak about its revival: " I look back, and I see we were in a more hopeful place then. So I'm happy it's coming home in these dark, uncertain times. I hope it brings laughter, and despite the subject matter, joy."

The Memory of Water follows three sisters as they reunite before their mother's funeral. Separately, they grief in differing ways, but they all come together with different memories of the same events. After a world premiere at Hampstead Theatre in 1996, The Memory of Water transferred to the Vaudeville Theatre and won an Olivier Award for Best New Comedy.

Alice Hamilton will direct The Memory of Water, joined by a creative team including design by Anna Reid; lighting design by Johanna Town and composing and sound design by Harry Blake. Casting includes Lucy Black, Kulvinder Ghir, Adam James, Lizzy McInnerny, Carolina Main and Laura Rogers. The Memory of Water runs from 3 September - 16 October, with a press night on 9 September.

The world premiere of Mufaro Makubika's Malindadzimu is at Hampstead Downstairs from 17 September - 30 October, with a press night on 23 September. Set in Nottingham and Zimbabwe, Malindadzimu follows a mother and daughter as they struggle to belong in their society. Malindadzimu is a hill situated in the Matobo National Park in Zimbabwe, and is where Cecil John Rhodes is buried. 

Malindadzimu will star Shyko Amos, Kudzai Mangombe, Sifiso Mazibuko, Tendai Humphrey Sitima and Natasha Williams. Monique Touko will direct, with a creative team including design by Zoë Hurwitz, lighting design by Matt Haskins and sound design by Max Pappenheim.

All performances of Malindadzimu will be staged with reduced capacity. The Memory of Water will play with a socially distanced audience from 3 - 25 September, with a full capacity from 27 September.

^{Photo credit: Shelagh Stephenson and Mufaro Makubika (Photos courtesy of Hampstead Theatre)}

^{Article Update: 11 August 2021}