ALTRINCHAM Garrick Playhouse’s production of Nightmare, a suspense thriller by Norman Robbins, was full of red herrings and with an unexpected ending.

It features Marion Bishop, an elderly writer.

Played by Pat Williamson, cancer has robbed Marion of her health so, despite being well off, she needs carers.

Pat encourages us to like her character despite an apparent grumpiness. Our affection is possibly misplaced?

Her main carer is Katherine Willis (played warm heartedly by Meg Royle) who has a brother, Michael, with learning difficulties.

Liam Dodd who has the difficult task of playing him, rises to the challenge and, although his character cannot speak, conveys his feelings with body language. Well done Liam.

When Katherine goes on holiday, her place is taken by nurse Laura (Beverley Stuart-Cole) on the say so of the local doctor (Hugh Everett) a beneficiary of Marion’s will. There is more to these two than meets the eye.

One of the red herrings could be Marion’s nephew played by a sinister Peter Brassington who is thuggishly different from the other gentile characters.

It’s a fascinating play rendered even more fascinating at the end.

Star rating: * * * *