REVIEW - SNAKE IN THE GRASS | OCTAGON THEATRE, BOLTON | 15/10/2025

Snake in the Grass – A Hauntingly Good Night of Twists, Secrets and Supernatural Thrills 

Snake in the Grass slithered its way into the Octagon Theatre Bolton this autumn, just in time for spooky season, bringing with it an intoxicating mix of dark humour, ghostly intrigue, and human frailty. Directed by Francesca Goodridge and co-produced with Theatr Clwyd, this chilling three-hander grips its audience from the first rustle of leaves to the final, breath-stealing blackout.

Written by Alan Ayckbourn, one of Britain’s most prolific playwrights, Snake in the Grass blends supernatural suspense with a sharp exploration of family secrets and power dynamics. The result is a tense, twisted tale where buried truths refuse to stay hidden and the past creeps ever closer to the present.

When Annabel Chester (Sue Cleaver) returns home following her father’s death, she finds herself back in the decaying family garden she once fled, haunted not only by memories but by something far more sinister. Her sister Miriam (Nicola Stephenson) seems fragile and desperate, yet harbours deadly secrets of her own. The arrival of Alice (Lisa Zahra), their father’s former nurse, turns the situation on its head her accusations of murder and blackmail ignite a tense power struggle that blurs the line between truth, guilt, and ghostly retribution.

As the sisters unravel their shared history, the audience is pulled into a psychological battlefield of manipulation, memory, and moral ambiguity. The twists are plentiful, the tension relentless, and by the end, you’re left questioning what’s real and what’s merely haunting the imagination.

Designed by Hayley Grindle, the set is both beautiful and unsettling a decayed garden of tangled branches, rusted fencing, and crisp autumn leaves that seem to whisper forgotten stories. A trapdoor at its centre conceals secrets both literal and symbolic, while a skeletal frame of the house looms overhead like a ghost of the past.

Laura Howard’s lighting slices through the space with sudden flashes, flickers, and shadows, creating moments of eerie stillness that explode into tension. Russell Ditchfield’s sound design is masterful haunting hums, sudden bangs, and subtle undercurrents that keep the heart racing. Together, they transform the Octagon’s intimate ‘in-the-round’ space into a living, breathing nightmare where the audience feels part of the chaos.

With just three performers, Snake in the Grass proves that sometimes less truly is more. This powerhouse trio fills the Octagon’s intimate in-the-round space with tension, dark humour, and raw emotion from start to finish.

Sue Cleaver is outstanding as Annabel sharp, sardonic and layered with vulnerability. She perfectly captures a woman wrestling with the ghosts of her past while trying to hold her composure, and her transformation as the story unfolds is utterly compelling.

Nicola Stephenson gives a brilliantly unpredictable performance as Miriam, flickering between fragile and fearsome with breathtaking ease. Her chemistry with Cleaver is electric, their scenes crackling with sisterly resentment, buried trauma, and uneasy affection.

Completing the trio, Lisa Zahra brings a cool, composed energy to Alice, the nurse who stirs the pot and keeps both sisters and the audience guessing. Her calm determination and quiet menace make her a captivating presence every time she steps into the light.

Together, the three create a thrilling, high-stakes dynamic that keeps the tension twisting like a live wire you could hear a pin drop one moment, and a nervous laugh ripple through the audience the next.

Snake in the Grass is a spine-tingling triumph darkly funny, deeply unsettling, and brimming with atmosphere. With its clever twists, haunting design, and three exceptional performances, this production keeps you guessing right until the final flicker of light. I was gripped from start to finish, completely caught up in the tangle of secrets, shifting power, and ghostly whispers that stay with you long after leaving the theatre.

A deliciously eerie and sharply written psychological thriller, Snake in the Grass is the perfect autumn night out for those who love their theatre with a chill in the air, a touch of dark humour, and a twist in the tale.

“Gripping, chilling, and full of dark delight!”

Snake in the Grass  is at the Octagon Theatre Bolton until Saturday 25th October 2025. Tickets are available for purchase through the link provided below.

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Photo Credit - Kirsten McTernan.

*Our tickets for this show were kindly gifted in exchange for an honest review