Alan Ayckbourn’s tale of the supernatural and of the unearthing of dark secrets features a minimal cast of just three women and is fittingly set in a dilapidated back garden throughout. Middle aged Annabel (Yve Price) returns to the family home to meet sister Annabel(Peta Maidman) following the death of their monstrous father. They meet Alice (Anna Barker), their late father’s young nurse, who claims(correctly) that Miriam was responsible for his death. She then attempts to blackmail the sisters.

Throughout this act the contrast between the women is marked. Miriam is ostensibly a childlike, semi-comic figure whose life has suffered for having been totally dominated by the father she cared for. Annabel is a worldly divorcée. Alice is calculating, vindictive and seemingly in control of the whole situation.

However there is clearly more to Miriam than meets the eye and it is she who acts. She drugs Alice’s wine and throws her body down a well as the plot develops.

The second act is considerably darker as the themes of damage and abuse experienced by the daughters dominate and Miriam’s character metamorphoses from a sad, eccentric woman who seems dependent on others into that of a deranged murderess, as she gradually takes control. This leads to an eerie and chilling climax (details not divulged here) which brings to an end a play which is excellently performed ( reinforced by an atmospheric lighting plot) in an entertaining and thought provoking production. It deserved a far bigger audience.