Review: Snake in the Grass (Octagon Theatre, Bolton)
- Sam - Admin
- Oct 12
- 2 min read
Review by Jack McCabe
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
There's something fitting about watching Snake in the Grass in October; the chill in the air mirrors the creeping unease inside the Octagon. From the moment the lights dim, the audience is drawn into Alan Ayckbourn's darkly comic world where humour and horror intertwine.
Snake in the Grass is a deft blend of dark comedy and psychological thriller. Performed in the round, it explores themes of class, control, and revenge with unsettling precision. I had never seen nor heard of this play before this evening, and I am glad. It is best experienced without knowing anything about the twists and turns around each corner.
The story centres on two estranged sisters, Annabel and Miriam. Annabel is a blunt businesswoman who has been living abroad for years. She is straight-talking, assertive, and performed excellently by Sue Cleaver. Miriam, played by Nicola Stephenson, has spent her life caring for their domineering father. She delivers a nuanced performance, skilfully balancing vulnerability and manipulation.
The sisters reunite following the death of their father, but what starts as a tense and strained reunion quickly spirals into a psychological duel when their father's former nurse, Alice, reappears and threatens to reveal a life-changing and life-ending secret. Lisa Zahra shines as Alice, effortlessly transforming from meek caregiver to calculating extortionist.
Ayckbourn's writing is sharp, combining wit with moments of genuine shock. Beneath the laughs lies an exploration of guilt, power, and the scars left by family trauma. The dialogue is fast, biting, and layered demanding strong performances, something this cast delivers. The cast as a whole is exceptional. They maintain a careful balance between suspense and humour. Director Francesca Goodridge's pacing ensures that the tension never falters, even in the quieter moments. Her direction makes the audience feel almost complicit, trapped alongside the characters in a garden full of secrets and lies. There were audible gasps and uneasy laughter from the audience as the tone of the play shifted.
Hayley Grindle's set is both impressive and haunting, evoking the decaying grandeur of a once impressive family home. This is a fitting backdrop for a play steeped in repression and buried trauma. Laura Howard's lighting and Russel Ditchfield's sound design add layers of atmosphere and deliver several well-earned jump scares. At times, the production's sense of tension reminded me of thriller powerhouses such as 2:22 - A Ghost Story in its West End run.
Generally speaking, it is a challenging task to stage a production that is intended to be genuinely frightening. It is a challenge made either more difficult or easier by the confines of a relatively small set and cast, and that comes down to the direction. In this production, Goodridge plays to the strengths of both the performers and the space, leading to a performance which is funny, disconcerting, and chilling.
Snake in the Grass plays at the Octagon Theatre, Bolton until October 25th
For tickets and information visit
Photos by Kristen McTernan