Secrets, suspicion, blackmail, and two sisters forced to confront a past that has been buried for decades.

Alan Ayckbourn may be one of Britain’s best-known comic playwrights, but Snake in the Grass takes us somewhere altogether darker. Ahead of our October production, we caught up with director Jenny McKiernan to discover what drew her to this unsettling three-hander, how she plans to balance its humour and menace, and what makes the three women at its heart so fascinating.

For Jenny, the appeal began with the writing itself.

“Snake in the Grass is superbly written,” she says. “It’s dark and witty, and explores human experience, buried memories and the things we sometimes choose not to confront. I believe the story will resonate with many people.”

At the centre of the play are sisters Annabel and Miriam, whose lives have taken very different paths. While Miriam remained at the family home caring for their ailing father, with the help of his nurse Alice, Annabel spent many years living in Tasmania.

Following their father’s death, Annabel returns to Britain and Alice is waiting with a shocking accusation about what really happened to him.

What follows is a battle of suspicion, manipulation and blackmail as the present begins to unravel and long-buried memories and secrets are forced to the surface.

Three women and shifting loyalties

With only three actors on stage, there is nowhere for the characters – or the audience – to hide.

That is part of what fascinated Jenny about the play.

“All three women are incredibly well drawn,” she explains. “None of them outshines the others; each has their own depth, strengths and weaknesses.”

And just when you think you understand the relationships between Annabel, Miriam and Alice, the ground begins to move.

“The writing gives each relationship its moment, and what’s particularly fascinating is how those relationships constantly shift as the play progresses,” says Jenny.

“The balance of power changes as different strengths and vulnerabilities are revealed, so the audience’s perception of the characters, and of the relationships between them, is continually challenged.”

In other words, deciding who to trust may prove rather difficult.

Finding the laughs in the darkness

Despite its sinister premise, this is still Ayckbourn and the darkness comes threaded with humour.

It’s a balance Jenny is keen to get right, without simply playing every humorous line for a laugh.

“The comedy complements the more sombre moments,” she says. “I want the humour to feel natural and conversational, allowing it to emerge from the characters and the situation. Of course, there will be moments where the comedy is overt, but it always needs to sit within the tone of what is happening.”

That contrast, she believes, can make the darker moments even more unsettling.

Jenny also discovered during the audition process just how much room the script gives its actors and director to explore.

“If you ask an actor to approach a scene with a particular intention in mind, the tone of the storytelling can alter,” she explains. “There are so many possibilities within the writing, which makes it fascinating to explore.”

A life in local theatre

Jenny has been involved in theatre since the age of 11 – “unless you count school nativities and acting up as a child!” – and has been a member of local theatres in the area since she was 16.

Over the years, she has worked on productions ranging from The Woman Who Cooked Her Husband and Ghosts from a Perfect Place to Teechers, Barefoot in the Park, Enron, Angels in America and The Ballad of Maria Marten.

Now she is bringing that experience to an Ayckbourn play that promises to keep its audience decidedly off balance.

Asked why people should book a ticket, Jenny doesn’t hesitate.

“You can expect twists and turns, laughter, uncomfortable silences and marvellous performances from three great actresses,” she says.

One final question…

Given that Jenny is spending her autumn immersed in a world of secrets and suspicion, we thought it only fair to ask: is she better at keeping a secret, or spotting when somebody else is lying?

Keeping one, apparently, is no problem.

“I’m very good at keeping a secret – with the caveat that if it put someone in danger or involved something illegal, then I’d be less inclined to keep it!” she says.

Fortunately, Jenny assures us that nothing has ever been quite serious enough to test those principles, and if someone tells her something in confidence, she’ll honour their wishes.

But what about spotting a liar?

This time, our director is rather less forthcoming.

“I’ll let you decide how good I am at that!”

We’ll be keeping our eyes on her 🐍

Alan Ayckbourn’s darkly comic psychological thriller, directed by Jenny McKiernan and starring Gill Peters as Annabel, Jo Gleeson as Miriam and Alex Meason as Alice.

📅 17–24 October 2026
⏰ 8pm – no performance Sunday
📍 Edward Alderton Theatre, Bexleyheath
🎟️ Tickets £14 / £12 members

Find out more at Snake in the Grass

Book now at www.ticketsource.co.uk/edwardalderton