REVIEW
FREDERICK KNOTT’S THRILLER
“WAIT UNTIL DARK”
Palace Theatre, Westcliff on Sea
Mon 30 Oct – Sat 4 Nov 2017
FREDERICK KNOTT’S THRILLER
“WAIT UNTIL DARK”
Palace Theatre, Westcliff on Sea
Mon 30 Oct – Sat 4 Nov 2017
✭✭✭☆☆ 3/5
Okay, so where do I start with this one? I have to say that the anticipation of getting to see a thriller on Halloween was all rather exciting. Wait Until Dark billed as the play version of the film which is one of the top 100 scariest films of all time was quite a pull for me and so I took my seat at the Palace Theatre, Westcliff ready for a night of thrills and tension. This anticipation was endorsed by a message before the play began advising that at certain parts of the performance all the lights would go out, including the auditorium, and we shouldn't be alarmed. Gosh! How exciting!
The beautifully designed set for this production by David Woodhead looks fabulous; set in a basement flat consisting of a long sofa in a lounge type area and to the upstage right, a kitchen area supplied with 1960s appliances including a washing machine, fridge and sink with a window looking out and to the left, wooden stairs leading up to the front and outside doors.
The beautifully designed set for this production by David Woodhead looks fabulous; set in a basement flat consisting of a long sofa in a lounge type area and to the upstage right, a kitchen area supplied with 1960s appliances including a washing machine, fridge and sink with a window looking out and to the left, wooden stairs leading up to the front and outside doors.
Set amidst the social turbulence of 1960s London, the play follows the story of Susy, a blind woman who, left alone in her apartment, becomes the victim of an elaborate scam hatched by a group of conmen. To say the scam is elaborate is somewhat of an understatement as the play unfurls to produce an unbelievably convoluted plot to find a doll that they believe is hidden in the flat which has been filled with drugs. The long and the short of it is that the conmen need to find the doll and think that it shouldn't be too much of a problem to hoodwink a blind woman. The lengths they go to, in order to do this, seem as far fetched as they come and I have to say my concentration levels began to dwindle mid way through Act 1. I must confess that the audience were as quietly attentive as I've ever known, aside from one fidgeter in a squeaky chair, although this may have something to do with the fact that 80 per cent were predominantly senior citizens and possibly having a little snooze...I mean resting their eyes.
This production, however, has a fabulous cast, not least with Karina Jones, who is herself registered blind, playing Susy. Her role is all the more convincingly played, knowing this, and she gives a hugely impressive performance. Likewise with Jack Ellis playing Mike, who always shows a good command of the stage. Tim Treloar as slightly bonkers, Roat certainly gives the role a quirky, maniacal slant and Oliver Mellor as Susy's photographer husband Sam is on stage just enough for the ladies to get their fix of eye candy.
This production, however, has a fabulous cast, not least with Karina Jones, who is herself registered blind, playing Susy. Her role is all the more convincingly played, knowing this, and she gives a hugely impressive performance. Likewise with Jack Ellis playing Mike, who always shows a good command of the stage. Tim Treloar as slightly bonkers, Roat certainly gives the role a quirky, maniacal slant and Oliver Mellor as Susy's photographer husband Sam is on stage just enough for the ladies to get their fix of eye candy.
Karina Jones who plays Susy
Susy is left to fend for herself, and eventually finds a way to turn the tables on the conmen and give them a taste of life in the dark aided by the young 12 year old girl who lives in one of the other flats and comes in to help Susy out. Their relationship doesn't start off well but they soon become cohorts and Gloria rises to the occasion of becoming Susy's sidekick helping to flush out the baddies. Despite the fact that Gloria is supposed to be 12 years old and the actress playing her clearly isn't, Shannon Rewcroft probably has one of the best parts in the play and even managed to get a few chuckles out of the flagging audience.
There were a few titters raised in the audience with the lingering death scene of one of the characters towards the end of the play but Act 2 manages to perk the action up a little and especially during the black out scenes which work really well with some great lighting and sound effects throughout thanks to Chris Withers and Giles Thomas.
Sadly, despite some good direction and quality performances from the cast in this show, Wait Until Dark just wasn't the Halloween 'treat' I had hoped it would be. As overheard by one member of the audience commenting on leaving the auditorium, "It was different..."
There were a few titters raised in the audience with the lingering death scene of one of the characters towards the end of the play but Act 2 manages to perk the action up a little and especially during the black out scenes which work really well with some great lighting and sound effects throughout thanks to Chris Withers and Giles Thomas.
Sadly, despite some good direction and quality performances from the cast in this show, Wait Until Dark just wasn't the Halloween 'treat' I had hoped it would be. As overheard by one member of the audience commenting on leaving the auditorium, "It was different..."
Ask the Audience
Chris Baylis, Southend
Saw "Wait Until Dark" at the Palace last night. The actors did their best but the script was poor and very dated. I understand the actress playing Susan is actually blind. She was good in the part in parts but she must have been embarrassed having to walk past 3 men in her house and pretend she didn't know they were there (breathing?) Also she recognised footsteps of the old and young Roat on the stairs but failed to hear other people using the stairs. Even the audience felt it was a bit of a pantomime and were calling out "It's not over here" and "It's behind you" when they were searching for the doll. Speaking of the doll, it was way too small to carry any significant amount of drugs when you take into account the voice mechanism, plus it was described as very heavy and yet they carried it around like it weighed no more than a few hundred grams. Sorry for the critique but my wife and I love coming to the Palace and the Dixon but this was more am-dram than pro-dram. If it had been on TV we would have switched channels. I do have a question though, sorry for taking so long getting to it, How did Roat die at the end? He was leaning over the fridge door (instead of going round it which would have been easier) and then it sounded like there was a shot (but no gun had been mentioned) and then the Police arrived and he was dead with a hole in his head. It confused us.
Chris Baylis, Southend
Saw "Wait Until Dark" at the Palace last night. The actors did their best but the script was poor and very dated. I understand the actress playing Susan is actually blind. She was good in the part in parts but she must have been embarrassed having to walk past 3 men in her house and pretend she didn't know they were there (breathing?) Also she recognised footsteps of the old and young Roat on the stairs but failed to hear other people using the stairs. Even the audience felt it was a bit of a pantomime and were calling out "It's not over here" and "It's behind you" when they were searching for the doll. Speaking of the doll, it was way too small to carry any significant amount of drugs when you take into account the voice mechanism, plus it was described as very heavy and yet they carried it around like it weighed no more than a few hundred grams. Sorry for the critique but my wife and I love coming to the Palace and the Dixon but this was more am-dram than pro-dram. If it had been on TV we would have switched channels. I do have a question though, sorry for taking so long getting to it, How did Roat die at the end? He was leaning over the fridge door (instead of going round it which would have been easier) and then it sounded like there was a shot (but no gun had been mentioned) and then the Police arrived and he was dead with a hole in his head. It confused us.
About the play...
Graeme Brookes and Tim Treloar will play Croker and Roat respectively in Frederick Knott’s thriller, WAIT UNTIL DARK. They join the previously announced Jack Ellis as Mike, Karina Jones as Susy and Oliver Mellor as Sam Henderson. Shannon Rewcroft and Thomas McCarron complete the cast as Gloria and Policeman.
The tour will begin at Devonshire Park Theatre in Eastbourne on 24 August 2017, with a national press night on Tuesday 5 September 2017 in Richmond.
Graeme Brookes has just finished playing Alan in The Original Theatre Company’s production of Invincible in New York City, as part of the Brits Off Broadway festival, and on tour in the UK. Graeme’s other theatre credits include The Tempest (Teatr Modrzejewskiej/Colchester Mercury), A View from the Bridge, The Rivals; A Slight Ache/The Lover, King David – Man of Blood (all Colchester Mercury Theatre) and Transmissions (Birmingham Rep).
Tim Treloar most recently played Teddy in House and Garden at the Watermill Theatre, Newbury. His theatre credits include The Heart Of Robin Hood, Thomas More, Sejanus, Believe What You Will, Back To Methuselah , Richard II , Romeo And Juliet (all for the RSC), Birdsong (UK tour) and Henry V (National Theatre). His television credits include Dark Heart (ITV) and Father Brown, Framed, Casualty, Silent Witness, Doctors, Holby City and The Bench (all BBC).
Set amidst the social turbulence of 1960s London, the play follows the story of Susy, a blind woman who, left alone in her apartment, becomes the victim of an elaborate scam hatched by a group of conmen. Susy is left to fend for herself, and eventually finds a way to turn the tables on the conmen and give them a taste of life in the dark.
Frederick Knott, best known for writing Dial M For Murder, wrote WAIT UNTIL DARK in 1966. Audrey Hepburn starred as Susy in the 1967 film adaptation, for which she was nominated for both the Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Actress. The film is often ranked as one of the top 100 scariest films of all time.
WAIT UNTIL DARK will be directed by Alastair Whatley, with designs by David Woodhead, lighting by Chris Withers, sound and music by Giles Thomas, fight coordination by Rc-Annie and casting by Ellie Collyer Bristow. The national tour is produced by Tom Hackney for The Original Theatre Company.
Website: www.originaltheatre.com
Facebook: TheOriginalTheatre
Twitter: @OriginalTheatre
Graeme Brookes and Tim Treloar will play Croker and Roat respectively in Frederick Knott’s thriller, WAIT UNTIL DARK. They join the previously announced Jack Ellis as Mike, Karina Jones as Susy and Oliver Mellor as Sam Henderson. Shannon Rewcroft and Thomas McCarron complete the cast as Gloria and Policeman.
The tour will begin at Devonshire Park Theatre in Eastbourne on 24 August 2017, with a national press night on Tuesday 5 September 2017 in Richmond.
Graeme Brookes has just finished playing Alan in The Original Theatre Company’s production of Invincible in New York City, as part of the Brits Off Broadway festival, and on tour in the UK. Graeme’s other theatre credits include The Tempest (Teatr Modrzejewskiej/Colchester Mercury), A View from the Bridge, The Rivals; A Slight Ache/The Lover, King David – Man of Blood (all Colchester Mercury Theatre) and Transmissions (Birmingham Rep).
Tim Treloar most recently played Teddy in House and Garden at the Watermill Theatre, Newbury. His theatre credits include The Heart Of Robin Hood, Thomas More, Sejanus, Believe What You Will, Back To Methuselah , Richard II , Romeo And Juliet (all for the RSC), Birdsong (UK tour) and Henry V (National Theatre). His television credits include Dark Heart (ITV) and Father Brown, Framed, Casualty, Silent Witness, Doctors, Holby City and The Bench (all BBC).
Set amidst the social turbulence of 1960s London, the play follows the story of Susy, a blind woman who, left alone in her apartment, becomes the victim of an elaborate scam hatched by a group of conmen. Susy is left to fend for herself, and eventually finds a way to turn the tables on the conmen and give them a taste of life in the dark.
Frederick Knott, best known for writing Dial M For Murder, wrote WAIT UNTIL DARK in 1966. Audrey Hepburn starred as Susy in the 1967 film adaptation, for which she was nominated for both the Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Actress. The film is often ranked as one of the top 100 scariest films of all time.
WAIT UNTIL DARK will be directed by Alastair Whatley, with designs by David Woodhead, lighting by Chris Withers, sound and music by Giles Thomas, fight coordination by Rc-Annie and casting by Ellie Collyer Bristow. The national tour is produced by Tom Hackney for The Original Theatre Company.
Website: www.originaltheatre.com
Facebook: TheOriginalTheatre
Twitter: @OriginalTheatre