Communicating Doors, Alan Ayckbourn’s time hopping bedroom farce, had the audience both laughing out loud and also remaining absolutely quiet as fear took over – quite an achievement.

It is a piece of science fiction and is set in a suite in the Regal Hotel, London in 1990, 2010 and 2030.

Ayckbourn described the play as “not dissimilar to something Hitchcock might have put on stage” and this was apparent in its moments of high tension, creepy music and a scene in the bathroom which briefly recalled Hitchcock’s famous thriller.

In the opening scene, Poopay, a professional dominatrix, comes to service the dying Reece but, much to her surprise, it is not sex that he wants. He has hired her in a desperate attempt to gain a witness to his confession of having had both his wives murdered by his creepy assistant, Julian.

Poopay witnesses the confession but is caught by Julian before escaping into a cupboard. She finds herself 20 years back in time, to when Reece’s wife Ruella is about to be murdered. Later Ruella herself steps into the cupboard, or communicating door, and finds herself 20 years back in time too, when Reece is on honeymoon with his first wife, Jessica. The question is, can the women warn each other and avoid their grisly fates?

Laura Doddington, as Poopay, makes the world’s least intimidating dominatrix into a character who wins the affection of the audience. Ben Jones, as the sinister Julian, succeeds in making the audience feel that the women are in real danger, despite wearing a wig which is just a bit too obvious.

But it is Liza Goddard, as the second wife Ruella, who steals the show. She has all the self-confidence and pragmatism of a Pony Club mother and some of the funniest lines too.

The ending is poignant and thought provoking, but to say more would give too much of the plot away. The only way to find out is to go and see it yourself.