Review: WAIT UNTIL DARK Revives a Story of Resilience

Imagine yourself in a small yet stylish New York City basement apartment. You're in the Lower East Side, and you've been living there for a while, enjoying the NYC hustle and bustle lifestyle. Sounds great, right? Now imagine yourself in that same apartment, but suddenly when you are alone, three strange men begin invading your apartment in search of something you don't understand, and they won't leave until they get what they want. Sounds not so great, right? Now imagine that same situation, but you have to rely on your problem solving skills and only four of your five senses, because you are unable to see-that is the story of Susy Hendrix in Garland Civic Theatre's production of Frederick Knott's Wait Until Dark.

In the first moments of the play, the theater went completely dark. Anonymous footsteps started to creak down the stairs, causing me to shift in my seat. A flashlight was briefly illuminated as a voice yelled, "Hello?", and we were finally able to see one person on stage but only long enough to get briefly oriented to the space. These opening moments successfully set the suspenseful tone the performance was meant to have, and with the exception of a brief segment of Act I, that suspense was present throughout the entire evening.

To tell a story full of thrill and suspense, the atmosphere must be perfect. Garland Civic Theatre's skillfully crafted environment realized the setting of the play. The intentional use of lighting was a constant thread throughout the performance. Lights were switching on and off, sometimes light was absent, and most impressively, there were moments when the only light was a small flame. Hank Baldree did a wonderful job using light (and its absence) to transport us to this basement apartment. (It should also be noted that Baldree is responsible for the minimal yet effective use of sound in the play; when it was present, it was purposeful.)

Of course the lighting wouldn't make much sense without a set, and Stacey Upton Bracey, also the incredible director of the show, designed a set that truly resembled a 1963 New York City basement apartment. The placement of various freestanding elements-namely the kitchen table and couch-allowed the audience to understand the separation of the different spaces in the apartment. The bedroom of the apartment was suggested to be behind a door, which was actually just a wall with a small space behind it, but the collaboration of the acting and the scene designer's magic made me believe there was a full bedroom behind that door.

What really brought the story to life was, of course, the acting. We were first introduced to Mike Talman, played by Jonathan Luce. This character was complex due to the clear conflict between his actions and his morals. Luce communicated this conflict well, (not just because of his convincing accent!) and by the end of the play, I found myself to be on Team Talman. Alongside Mike Talman was Sgt. Carlino, a seemingly friendly, funny character, played by Adam Anthony Vigil. Most of my chuckles came from Vigil's performance, especially as he was spastically wiping down the entire apartment. These two characters were fun to watch individually, but they also provided an intriguing contrast to one another, most notably when Mike Talman was sulking on the stairs as Sgt. Carlino frantically moved about the performance space.

The collaboration of these two characters was impressive, but their relationship wouldn't have been the same without the threatening third party-Harry Roat, played by Brian Hokanson. This character was absolutely horrid in the best way. Hokanson successfully made the audience hate him, especially as the action took a violent turn in Act II. Harry Roat was a frightening character, and the suspense of the play was reliant on his grisly efforts and the believable acting of Brian Hokanson.

These three men told a story of their own, and despite their best attempts to achieve their shady goals, they were met with calculated resistance by Susy Hendrix, played by the amazing lead actress, Alexzandria Smith. Watching Susy Hendrix maneuver this frightening invasion of her home was upsetting yet uplifting, due to the fact that she was blind but used her critical thinking skills and four other senses to protect herself. Alexzandria Smith clearly did her part in studying the mannerisms and habits of people who are blind, evidenced by her convincing performance. There were a few instances when Smith fumbled and immediately corrected her line, but it didn't happen enough to distract from the performance. Smith and the entire cast did a wonderful job, and these small errors are bound to occur on opening night.

Another character, who I believe stole the hearts of the audience, was young Gloria, played by the darling Bella Brown. The relationship between Gloria and Mrs. Hendrix was complex and full of frustration, but that changed by the end of the play. The two found themselves working together, and the clear demeanor changes of Brown and Smith allowed the audience to witness their transformations and growing bond. Despite being the youngest on stage, Bella Brown brought the audience multiple laughs, often at times when they were needed most. She was fun to watch.

Among the supporting actors were Sam Hendrix, Susy's husband, and the two Police Officers. These three characters weren't in the action for longer than a few minutes, but they still served as pivotal people in the play. Chima Ijeh was charming in his role as Sam Hendrix, reaching out to his wife and holding her in his arms when she needed it most. The presence of the Police Officers, Bethany Brown and Connor Stewart, gave the audience permission to relax, despite the intense, suspenseful action preceding their arrival. All three of these supporting characters provided a sense of relief to the audience, and without them, we might have been left longing for closure.

Wait Until Dark was entertaining and encouraging to watch. There were moments of jam-packed action and instances of inward reflection, thanks to the actors and their commitments to their roles. Susy Hendrix demonstrated resilience regardless of being unable to see; Mike Talman and Sgt. Carlino seemed to struggle with their moral compasses being compromised; Gloria and Mrs. Hendrix acted bravely when they had no other choice; Harry Roat shamelessly continued his ruthless endeavors, engaging in intense fighting scenes (beautifully directed by Dave Westbrook) that gave the audience its loudest screams and highest jumps. All of these moments trapped the audience in this basement apartment and required them to witness the interactions of these complex characters.

Garland Civic Theatre impressively told Frederick Knott's story that was first performed in 1966. To take a story so well-known and perform it is resilient and brave, just like Susy Hendrix. This local theater did a great job casting, dressing the actors in minimal yet effective costumes (designed by Kerra Sims), designing the set, intentionally using (and avoiding) lighting and sound, and convincing the audience that we were in a basement apartment with the characters. If you are looking for an evening of admiration, laughs, and a few jump scares, you need to go see Garland Civic Theatre's Wait Until Dark. You won't regret it!

Details:

Granville Arts Center April 29-May 15. Purchase tickets through the Garland Arts Box Office website. Run time: 2 hours including one 15-minute intermission.

Photo Credit: Cheryl Pellett

Director: Stacey Upton Bracey

Production Stage Manager: Steven Bracey

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