Snake in the Grass | Theatr Clwyd

Alan Ayckbourn is undoubtedly an acclaimed theatre-maker, with 91 full length plays under his belt alongside many awards, including Olivier and Tony awards. As well as being an incredibly successful playwright, Ayckbourn also worked as an Artistic Director at the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough where the majority of his work was launched. Snake in the Grass, which had its launch back in June 2002, initially appears to be a dark comedy, however the depth in Ayckbourn's writing ensures that this commentary delves further into a person's psyche, allowing the play to become a deeply unsettling psychological drama.

The play follows three characters - Annabel Chester, a successful businesswoman who returns home after the death of her cruel and abusive father, Miriam Chester, who is resentful of Annabel for moving away and leaving her to take care of their family home and their father, and Alice Moody, the nurse who looked after the sisters' father in his last years. When Alice threatens to expose the crime of the murder of the father, tensions grow and buried truths resurface in a gripping and tense narrative.

Ayckbourn's text perfectly balances dark comedy with important and necessary dialogue about how past trauma can lead to long term psychological impacts. Ayckbourn cleverly ensures that his writing remains open for audiences to respond to and interpret the piece in different ways, begging the question is Snake in the Grass a literal ghost story, or is it a metaphor for the ghost of the past that continues to haunt us?

The cast of three are committed to their roles throughout. Sue Cleaver takes on Annabel with a sharp wit and a controlling manner. However, as secrets unravel and tensions surface, Annabel becomes tangled up in the manipulative power games and Cleaver handles this character arc superbly. Nicola Stephenson is neurotic as Miriam, but Stephenson ensures that this never leads to a caricature of a character, and instead when her malice surfaces, Stephenson gives a deeply unsettling performance which is testament to her talent. Cleaver and Stephenson work together extremely well to create the unspoken tension of a fractured relationship between family members. Lisa Zahra is steadfast in her portrayal of Alice, and whilst she has a limited stage time in comparison to both Cleaver and Stephenson, Zahra makes her mark in ensuring that Alice is as opportunistic and sly as one would expect.

Whilst one can appreciate and forgive the expected press night nerves, unfortunately there was a consistency in the fumbling of lines from the cast. This, however, will be ironed out as more performances take place and is only a small niggle in what is overall a fantastic piece of theatre.

Director Francesca Goodridge and Movement Director Jess Williams ensures that the piece maintains its pace throughout. The cast move around the in the round black box theatre space, ensuring that the narrative pushes forward in an intense and gripping manner, where the characters feel exposed and cannot hide from their truth. What sticks out is the way in which throughout the play, each character gains power through the narrative unfolding, and this is demonstrated cleverly throughout the movement of the characters in the piece.

Hayley Grindle's set and costume design perfectly captures the essence of a fractured and isolated family home. From a broken rocking chair dangling from the ceiling, to overgrown and mossy nature surrounding the stage, the space feels neglected and eerie. This is further enhanced by Russell Ditchfield's compositions and sound design, creating a sinister atmosphere. Laura Howard's lighting design ensures that the piece remains dark and mysterious, and together all the production elements work in perfect harmony to create the sense that the garden acts as an unseen fourth character, holding the ghosts of suppressed dark memories in the past.

Snake in the Grass is a compelling commentary on the psychological impact of past trauma. With a stellar cast, gripping narrative and theatrical elements that are both evocative and atmospheric, this production grips you from the offset.

Snake in the Grass plays at Theatr Clwyd until 04th October 2025.

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★★★★☆ (4*)

Gifted tickets in return for an honest review | Photography by Kirsten Mcternan