Mermaid Legs

Sisters Billie, Ava, and Scarlet start a new tradition of family dinners every second Sunday, rain or shine. But when Billie doesn’t show up one night, her sisters have every reason to worry. With a history of self-harm and regularly being on and off her medication, they’ve become all too familiar with Billie’s unpredictable behaviour. Now that Billie has disappeared—leaving behind her disastrous apartment, her phone, and a mysterious message—a frantic chase ensues, pushing their unshakable bond to its limits.

From the celebrated author of The Gravitational Pull of Bernice Trimble and co-author of The Drowning Girls, Beth Graham’s Mermaid Legs tells the story of a precarious life fluctuating between calm and chaos, and those on the sidelines desperately trying to catch up. A deep dive into the stigmas, challenges, and mysteries of mental illness, this compassionate family saga illuminates the beauty of neurodiversity and the unyielding strength of sisterhood.

• To write this play, Beth started interviewing people who lived with bipolar disorder and those close to them to understand it better and how it can affect a family.
• First produced as part of the Skirtsafire Festival at the Gateway Theatre in Edmonton from February 29 to March 10, 2024.