Review: WAIT UNTIL DARK at Hillbarn Theatre

Hillbarn Theatre opens its 84th season with Frederick Knott’s noir thriller Wait Until Dark. An enormous success when it premiered in 1966, it features two powerful lead roles: Susan, a blind newlywed facing the daily challenges of life and Roat, a sadistic killer searching for hidden loot in her apartment. Both Lee Remick on Broadway and Audrey Hepburn (film version) were nominated for Best Actress. Robert Duvall (Broadway) and Alan Arkin (film) both achieved successes as the villain. So, it’s with big shoes to fill that director Vickie Rozell tackles this piece with two main goals to achieve: make Susan a believable blind woman and create the necessary suspense to hold the audience’s attention. Hillbarn’s offering succeeds on those two points with the performances of Sarah Jiang as Susan and Scott Coopwood as Roat.

Wait Until Dark has a simple premise: a doll full of diamonds mistakenly ends up in the hands of Susan’s photographer husband Sam (Sahil Singh). A trio of crooks attempt to retrieve said doll through an elaborate ruse to trick Susan into handing it over. It’s the elaboration of the ruse that fills Act 1 and you must pay strict attention to follow along, and it may seem farfetched and preposterous and falls apart totally were Suan not blind. One crook (Mike played by Ryan Tasker) poses as Sam’s wartime buddy. Another is a washed-up ex-cop Carlino (Stefan Fisher), the other, the notorious Roat.

 Both Susan and her young upstairs helper Gloria (Mia Rapoport) slowly figure out the plot twists, some, we as the audience, already know. Act 2 ramps up the tension as Roat gets more unhinged and Susan is trapped in her apartment totally vulnerable – or is she? With the help of lighting designer Ed Hunter, Susan equalizes the field, and we’re plunged into darkness for a thrilling finale.

Sarah Jiang is fine as the vulnerable Susan, whose heightened senses aid her in discovering the reality of the situation. Coopwood is pure evil, a psychopath perfectly willing to kill all in his way. The supporting roles are all good and Rozell’s pacing is on point. Wait Until Dark works on our empathy for Susan and by allowing the audience to have the foresight of what will be worked out by the finale.   

Wait Until Dark continues through November 3rd. Tickets available at www.hillbafrntheratre.org or by calling 650-349-6411.

Photo credits: Tracy Martin

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