Review: THE TURN OF THE SCREW Ghost Story Presented Unconventionally in a No-Frills Space

I am always interested in seeing a conventional play being presented in an unconventional way. So when I heard about director Blake Silver undertaking a production of Henry James THE TURN OF THE SCREW adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher, produced by Haldane Morris, and presented lit only by flashlights held by audience members in a room seating only 20, I knew it would be no like other production of the ghost story I had ever seen before. And I was right.

The evening began as we were ushered into a small room lit by electronic candles at the back of the Behind Sirens/Titans Fitness office on Westwood Blvd. The foggy environment was eerie to begin with, especially since it was difficult to see much in the mostly dark space. But once the play began, I was pulled into the many characters being presented with great portrayals, although I have to say the story itself was difficult to follow. But the experience of being in that type of environment added so much to the experience, it is difficult to find fault with its presentation.

THE TURN OF THE SCREW tells the tale of a young governess who journeys to a lonely English manor to care for two recently orphaned children. Of course in this production, the children and housekeeping staff, as well as the father, are all played by Josh Zuckerman whose excellent character physicality assisted in figuring out which character was being presented - most of the time. Katija Pevec effectively portrays the governess, hoping to catch a rich man for a husband who gets caught up in a situation which has her seeing specters haunting the children real. But are they just the product of her fevered imagination. That question is never really answered well, leaving the audience to either figure it out on their own or just sit back and enjoy the experience.

Based on the provocative tale of suspense, horror and repressed sexuality by Henry James, this Gothic ghost story, set in an impromptu performance space lit entirely by the audience holding flashlights and small electronic candles surrounding the stage, is certain to give you the chills. And each of the actors perform barefoot, increasing the surprise when one disappears and later pops out from the opposite side of the stage area or even at the top of the stairs. No doubt you will jump out of your seat and gasp as many of us did.

Please remember when a cast member hands you a flashlight to hold during a scene, the idea is to point the light at the actors, not audience members on the other side of stage which can be very distracting. It is an effective technique, increasing the atmosphere needed for such an iconic tale of horror and suspense!

THE TURN OF THE SCREW is being presented on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:30 p.m. through May 7 at Behind Sirens/Titans Fitness, 2311 Westwood Blvd., Los Angeles CA 90064. Note: Entrance is on the side of the building on Tennessee Ave, not Westwood Blvd. Tickets are $15 and may be ordered by calling (323) 782-1849 or online at www.eventbrite.com. Due to adult subject matter and presentation, this production is not appropriate for children.

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