Review: WAIT UNTIL DARK at Hale Centre Theatre is Chilling

WAIT UNTIL DARK on Hale Centre Theatre's Jewel Box Stage is a chilling thriller, in a successful departure from the theatre company's typical fare. The production is crafted meticulously to create an unsettling atmosphere that keeps the audience on the edge of their seats.

WAIT UNTIL DARK by Frederick Knott was a 1966 Broadway hit that was adapted into a film starring Audrey Hepburn the following year. Two ex-cons find themselves roped into a plot to search an apartment for a doll filled with important cargo that has ended up in the wrong hands. The one thing standing in their way is the blind Susy Hendrix, who they scam in an attempt to find the lost doll.

Riley Branning as Susy Hendrix (double cast with Elise Pearce) carries the show on her shoulders. She is not only believable as a blind woman, but she is also completely engaging throughout each scene.

Lonzo Liggins as Mike Talman (double cast with Greg Hansen), Zac Zumbrunnen as Sergeant Carlino (double cast with M. Chase Grant), and Benjamin J. Henderson as Harry Roat (single cast) are menacing but with threatening layers of affability.

Bridget Maxwell as Gloria (double cast with Mila Belle Howells) is not just cute as a button but also an intelligent young actress.

The unit set designed by Jennifer Stapley Taylor is as detailed as a film set with an accurate period vibe. The lighting design, so crucial to this story, is realized with great success by Danna Barney. The direction by Dave Tinney ties the performances and design together to create a very satisfying piece of theatre.

This is one you're not going to want to miss.

WAIT UNTIL DARK plays through November 17, 2018. For tickets, call the box office at 801-984-9000 or visit www.hct.org.

Photo Credit: L-R Riley Branning (Susy Hendrix) and Lonzo Liggins (Mike Talman)

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