Snakes and Ladders

Snakes and Ladders is an Australian play by Tony Moore. A show for three actresses, it is a story about family relationships, academia and a game of Snakes and Ladders.

KADS’ production is set in a cosy living room created by Geoff Rumsey. Nicely finished, the set is solidly built with ring of truth detail. The stage was warmly lit by Stephen Marr (although there was perhaps a little too much spill into the first two rows) with effective sound design by Lindsay Goodwin.

Lovely and tangible relationships were created by Karin Stafflund as Charlie, Julie Holmshaw as Charlie’s sister Emily, and Jennifer McGrath as her daughter Beth. Strong performances from all three, as Beth returns to the family home when her marriage disintegrates.

A pleasant and watchable play with an interesting plot, this incarnation feels a little long, despite the skill of the performers, and I wonder if this show may be stronger in its one act form. On the night I saw it the pace felt somewhat slow and this exacerbated the issue. Luckily the story is interesting and the characters believable and likeable, which kept the audience engaged.

A late replacement for a cancelled production, Snakes and Ladders was a lovely way to gently ease KADS into their 2017 Season, with a well-performed enjoyable little show.

Kimberley Shaw