Snake in the Grass

A dilapidated tennis court; a reunion of two estranged sisters; the blackmailing nurse of their recently-deceased father; dark family secrets. Can a ghost story tell us anything about human nature?

In a departure from his more familiar and much-loved comedies, Alan Ayckbourn turns his pen to a spooky exploration of victimised womanhood and sibling rivalry in the atmosphere of simmering unease that pervades the garden of a macabre family home.

This rarely-performed gem by the master playwright is half black comedy, half psychological thriller. After its premiere in Scarborough and transfer to London, The Guardian noted: “Ayckbourn scores in showing how we’re all haunted by ghosts of the past.” We’re proud to stage it for the first time in Newcastle.