TADS

Snake in the Grass

The Te Aroha Little Theatre opens its 2018 season with “Snake in the Grass”, a suspense-thriller by Alan Ayckbourn, directed by Ian Harrop, Ayckbourn is probably noted more for his comedies, which have been prolific and hugely successful. In more recent times, he has turned his attention, occasionally, to more dramatic presentations with great success. “Snake in the Grass” earned glowing reviews in its London presentation. The Sunday Times called it “a creepily, scarily, eerily enjoyable evening”. “Snake in the Grass” promises to be all those things with ghosts of the past intruding on the present to create an intriguing story that will have audiences on the edge of their seats. Unexpected twists and turns serve to unfold a tale that will confound all but the most observant of patrons. The play opens with Annabel Chester returning from Australia after 35 years to join her younger sister Miriam at their dilapidated old house and garden in an outer London suburb following the death of their father. All is not well at her homecoming and in no time she is confronted with a situation that snowballs beyond her wildest imagination. With a cast of three – Ivy Coombe as Annabel, Lucy James as Miriam and Sandra Clark as Alice Moody – this psychological thriller will keep audiences enthralled as layers of their story are peeled back revealing a history of incompatibility and abuse. Tense as the drama becomes, at times Ayckbourn’s humour emerges amid the dramatic revelations and serves as light relief in a story that will have audiences spellbound. Some of the cast will be familiar to regular patrons Sandra Clark was in Quartet and Remain in Light, Ivy Coombe was in Enchanted April. Ron Handford has created a stunning set which captures the seediness of the rundown Chester home and garden in which all the action takes place. The season opens on Wednesday, March 14 at 8pm with performances nightly to Saturday 18 and Wednesday March 21 to Friday 23. Sunday March 18 is a matinee at 4pm. Tickets from Piako Stationery 07 884 9110 Ian Harrop

Written by Alan Ayckbourn

Director Ian Harrop