Snake in the Grass

Tyldesley Little Theatre kick off the new year with a thriller by Alan Ayckbourn, this female three hander first premiered in 2002 at the Stephen Josephs Theatre Scarborough.  One of a trilogy named Things That Go Bump in the Night. Alan Ayckbourne at his best writing strong parts for women.

The curtain went back to reveal the families garden, including over-grown tennis court and summer house (built over the well) looked fantastic. With bushes and trees and all that you would find in a once-loved garden but now neglected. Eddie Stanley and Paul Whur set design and a whole team of set builders has thought of every tiny detail.

The scene was set.

Paul Ward the director had only three cast to direct and I don’t say only lightly. It’s easy for a director to rest on their laurels at this number in a cast. I actually think it is harder as they carry the play all the way through. With no one to inject new life into it with entrances, you are laid bare. The three actresses took up the gauntlet and led at a pace.

Ingrid Folkard-Evans playing Annabel Chester opens the show, entering and setting the scene without words letting the audience register her taking in her childhood home she has not seen for many years. She is the failed business woman whose father has died and she ran away from his abuse. She played this very well and giving a sense of not understanding what’s going on. Supporting her sister with whom relations are strained, but you do it’s your sister. I think Ingrid portrayed a range of emotions that were subtle and correct for her character, working well with Joyce Elder who played Miriam Chester.

Joyce had to play a woman who’s view of the world due to abuse and abandonment is flawed. As the audience I never knew which character she was going to be and hit the right note: the little lost girl, the excited one or the deeply disturbed woman who could be just as cruel as her deceased father. It’s a fine line to keep this balanced as an actor if too much it’s slightly over-indulgent and un-balanced. But I think the director and Miriam got this on pointe. If anything, Miriam’s appearance could have been even more bizarre or eccentric to counteract the character, disguising her knowing exactly what she was doing.

Carly Lomax playing Alice Moody was the sting, and how many actresses get to fall down a 30 foot well or so we are led to believe. We feel sorry for her, then we get annoyed with her when she demands so much money. She was sharp tonged and sarcastic - just how Ayckbourn would have wanted it. Her demeanour was good when setting up the sting and she never telegraphed the plot, which would have been easy to.

The three actresses and director brought out the dark humour and you have that moment when you laugh and then feel bad for laughing out loud.

Costumes and appropriate music complemented this production which kicks off Tyldesley Little Theatre’s 2019 season - congratulations cast and crew!

Once again thank you for making my guest and I feel welcome

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