Review: THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE at The Pocket Community Theatre in Hot Springs

We are now into the spooky season, and The Pocket Community Theatre in Hot Springs has answered the howl with The Haunting of Hill House by F. Andrew Leslie, adapted from the chilling novel by Shirley Jackson and directed by Thomas Griffin, which is running through Sunday, Oct. 12. If ever there were a perfect place to raise a few ghosts, it’s The Pocket, a venue with a history and a look that whispers ‘I have secrets!’ From the moment the lights dim, this show doesn’t just tell a ghost story; it breathes one. 

In this unnerving tale, Dr. Montague, an investigator of the supernatural, invites a group of strangers to spend time in the cursed Hill House in hopes of uncovering its mysteries. Among the chosen few are Eleanor Vance, a lonely soul yearning for belonging; Theodora, a confident woman with secrets of her own; and Luke, the future heir of the house, who masks his fear with charm. But Hill House is no ordinary dwelling, it hungers. Its walls seem to sigh, its doors close of their own accord, and the very air vibrates with a low, mournful pulse. What begins as scientific study soon descends into psychological torment as the guests come face-to-face with something far older, and far crueler, than human malice. 

My daughter reminded me that we streamed the series a while back, and though I don’t remember much of it, I was excited just the same to see what The Pocket had to offer. Under Thomas Griffin’s direction, the production becomes a masterclass in slow-burning terror. Griffin doesn’t rely on cheap tricks or jump scares; instead, he lets dread crawl under your skin, tightening its grip scene by scene. The pacing is deliberate, like footsteps echoing down an empty corridor. You know something’s coming, but not when. The lighting flickers and fades as if the house itself is breathing, and the sound design whispers from corners unseen. Every moment feels intentional, every silence heavy with things unsaid. 

The cast brings Jackson’s haunted world chillingly to life. Lynn McCutcheon gives a gripping, vulnerable performance as Eleanor Vance, whose fragile psyche makes her both a victim and a vessel for the house’s dark energy. I loved watching her innocence soak up the atmosphere and was confused why she stayed so long since Dr. Montague said he would send people home if it looked like they were being taken by the house....I mean....it was clear she was getting more and more possessed.  

Speaking of Dr. Montague, Jason Moore did an impressive job with only learning the WHOLE SHOW in a week and a half. He generally impresses me anyway, but this feat was phenomenal. There was only one thing I had to look up about his performance, because I was confused on why he gave a creepy smile and said all my children are home. Was he also part of the house? You’ll need to go see the show to understand what I’m talking about – and don’t look it up until after you see the play.  

Watching the relationship between Amy Hronek’s Theodora and McCutcheon’s Elanor was fun. It seemed like a roller-coaster...they are acquaintances to besties to pesky. You just never knew how they were going to respond to each other. It assisted in the suspense of the show. And then there is Justin Breland, who plays Luke Sanderson with a sly charm that gradually dissolves as the story progresses.  

The one character I remember from the series was Mrs. Dudley, which Catherine Blakley plays with an eerie dose of formality and foreboding, with her rigid routine and ominous warnings setting the tone for everything that follows. Though her backstory isn’t totally fleshed out in the play, she does add to the spookiness of the house. 

Then there is the comic relief from Jennifer Horner as Mrs. Montague, who adds a delightfully dramatic flair, bringing light (and a touch of hilarious chaos) to the darkness, with Sean Blakley as her devoted assistant Arthur Parker rounding out the ensemble with an unsettling calm. Together, this talented cast channels both the humanity and horror of Hill House with haunting precision. 

Visually, the production makes excellent use of The Pocket’s stage. The house and all the different doors make you wonder if anything is going to pop out at a moment's notice. The noises and the way they looked beyond the walls had us invested in what was going to happen.