A dark mystery. A father’s death. Siblings. Borrowing a bit from Shakespeare’s Hamlet in its dark-themed ghostly portrayal of two estranged sisters with a bent on their family inheritance, “Snake in the Grass,” a two-act play written by British playwright Alan Ayckbourn, debuted in Scarborough in 2002 and is part of his Things That Go Bump series. The story portrays a family’s dysfunction while it marries with the dark tones of greed and retribution. With a touch of humor infused at just the right moment between the horrors, this stage play is one of his most popularly performed scripts among Repertory Theater.
The present day story begins in the sunlit garden of the Chester family’s run-down estate in Louisiana, featuring its weedy, overgrown tennis court and adjacent summer house. When their father dies, troubled elder sister Annabel (played by Lisa Gazzillo), a proud, formerly successful business owner and now a divorcee with nothing, comes back home after a fifteen year absence. She is met by her younger, house-bound spinster sister Miriam (played by Ann Kashishian). Tension and carping begin between the querulous women and questions arise as to how their father actually died.
“It’s a fun, gothic drama,” said veteran actor and director, Greg Kasander, who is making his directorial debut with Playcrafters. “There are three genres in one,” he explained. The 90-minute story w/ intermission begins as a family drama and then segues into a scene of physical comedy. In the end, the story evolves into something of the supernatural realm.
In the midst of building anxieties, the father’s nurse, Alice (played by Terry Maxwell), enters and claims Miriam is culpable in her father’s death and that she has been released from her duties because she tried to stop the woman from “doing in” her patient. With knowledge of a large inheritance awaiting them, the nurse-turned-blackmailer threatens to go to the police until Miriam hatches a plan. Or does she?
The layers of mystery will intrigue the audience because there is a blur between what’s real and what isn’t. There isn’t too much clarity as to the actual vs. the metaphorical here. Sometimes, the audience will be fooled.
What’s most interesting about the play according to Kasander is that reality is based on perception. He hopes the audience actively participates in the story line and they keep in mind what is happening on stage compared to what they think is actually occurring. “The memories of the characters are not reliable,” he said. There are a number of surprises along the way. At every turn, the audience sees one type of play when it might be another.
“I really can’t wait to hear what people’s theories are at the end of the performance. Who really is the snake in the grass?” Or is there more than one reptile that meets the eye?
Production CrewDirector: Greg Kasander
Producer: Joe WelshStage Manager: Bannie Stewart
Production Assistant: Olivia Calamia
Light Design: Ryan KadwillSound Design: Chris Stewart
Stage Dressing: SukiBOD Advisor: Marie Bishop
Playcrafters presents: “Snake in the Grass” at the Barn, 2011 Store Rd @ Rt. 73, Skippack, PA 19474; @ 8 p.m. – Aug 17, 18, 19, 25, 26, 31, Sept 1, 2 @ 3 p.m. – Aug 27. Tickets: $17. Info: www.playcrafers.org or call 610-584-4005
