Review: WE ONLY COME OUT AT NIGHT at Company OnStage

WE ONLY COME OUT AT NIGHT is co-produced by The Phoenix Group and Company OnStage and written by local Houston playwright Austin Brady. The comedic thriller follows best friends Liz and Benji, co-owners of a Houston bar, whose lives are upended when a chance encounter with three unsuspecting patrons reveals Liz’s supernatural secret. What follows is a surprisingly heartfelt exploration of loneliness, loyalty and making the best of what life gives you.

Live horror is hard to pull off. Add comedy to the mix and the challenge gets even greater. Brady’s script, however, finds an appealing balance between the two, while giving the story a genuine emotional center. Beneath the supernatural elements is a simple message about standing by the people you love and helping each other through whatever life throws your way.

The heart of the show belongs to Liz and Benji, played by Veda Salinas and Jared Guidry. The two have an easy chemistry, and as we learn more about their circumstances, it becomes increasingly difficult not to root for them. There is a genuine sense of friendship between the characters that gives the story its emotional weight.

The rest of the cast brings plenty of personality to the bar. Matthew Martinez gets laughs as Elijah, perfectly capturing the enthusiastic “bro” energy of the character. Willie Morris is suitably charming as the hunky and unsuspecting Vince, while Dillon Vidaurri rounds out the trio as Spencer, an uptight, constantly vaping counterpoint to his friends.

There is a lot of young and emerging talent onstage here, and it is exciting to see. WE ONLY COME OUT AT NIGHT is clearly a production made with a lot of affection for the material and for each other. Director Domenico Leona’s earnest introduction to the show made that especially apparent.

As with any production still finding its footing, there are places where WE ONLY COME OUT AT NIGHT could tighten up. The pacing could move a little faster, and some scene changes could be more efficient. A few of the technical elements, including the use of the strobe lighting and the presentation of the antagonist in the final scene, could also be pushed further.

In fact, I’d encourage this cast and creative team to do just that: go for it. The script gives them permission to embrace both the comedy and the horror, and the production will only benefit as the performances become more confident and the scares become bigger. Lean into the strobe lighting, give us jump-scares. For a show like this, at this time of year, that is exactly what we’re looking for.

There is something charming about a theatre production that is willing to take a chance on a new local work and give emerging performers a place to shine. WE ONLY COME OUT AT NIGHT has heart, some good laughs and a cast worth watching. With a little more confidence and a willingness to fully embrace what makes this story unusual, it could become an even more entertaining night at the theatre. For now, it’s a fun, spooky addition to the season, and one that deserves the support of the Houston theatre community.

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