Santa Maria Civic Theatre has gone dark! (So to speak.) Their latest production is Wait Until Dark, a suspense-thriller by Frederick Knott (Dial M for Murder) about a blind woman who faces off against a group of deadly criminals. The well-known 1967 film version starred Audrey Hepburn and Alan Arkin.
In late 1960s Greenwich Village, danger descends upon a poor, unsuspecting couple—photographer Sam Hendrix, and his wife, Susy. The plot hangs upon a doll … that’s stuffed full of heroin. A stranger at an airport in Montreal handed it to Sam—ostensibly to bring it to a sick little girl in New York—but now he says he can’t find it. In addition to a MacGuffin (a plot device), of course, the doll is also a metaphor for how appearances can be deceptive.
As the play opens, we’re introduced to a couple of con men, freshly released from prison, who both used to associate with a mysterious woman named Lisa. They each received a curious invitation to come to an apartment and earn some “easy money.” The idea is that, while Sam is off doing a photo shoot, the con men will convince Susy to hand them the doll, which they think Sam has hidden somewhere in the apartment.
Jeffery Staso succeeds at seeming like the kind, helpful man the con requires. We can see how Susy would be taken in by him, which makes her more sympathetic—while also letting us in on his shadier side.
Richard Lonsbury is just as good at playing the “bad cop” in the routine as Staso is at playing the “good cop.” In fact, he takes on the persona of a cop named Sergeant Carlino. He commands authority as he interrogates Susy with regard to a recent murder in the area. He’s also funny in his paranoia about leaving fingerprints, running around, wiping off every surface in sight.
The group’s ring-leader is given some strange things to say, such as introducing himself to the other crooks as a carpet salesman, and then as “Harry Roat, Sr. and Jr.” He also calls his trusty switchblade “Geraldine.” It’s difficult to maintain that balance between eccentricity and menace, and Jim Sullivan gives it a noble effort. He does manage to make it clear that this is the most dangerous man of the three. He’s also effective in his other personas, a raving old lunatic and a concerned son.
As played by Linda Mondragon, Susy is a compelling heroine. Susy’s blindness was caused by a “car accident” a year prior, and she’s still adjusting. She’s an innocent, but she’s no fool, and the con men soon find their task will be more challenging than they thought. Her arguments with Gloria, a little girl from next door who comes over to assist her, help make the character well-rounded.
Young actress Haley Zahn is precocious and spirited as Gloria, and a good counterpart to Mondragon in their sometimes contentious friendship.
Mondragon’s whimpering was a bit too constant during the darkened final confrontation with the criminals. Stretches of silence between flurries of noise can make them all the more spine-tingling. They would also give the audience a chance to feel truly “in the dark,” not knowing precisely what’s happening or what’s going to happen next, at least for a few moments.
In some performances, the role of Susy will be played by SMCT regular Angela Hutt-Chamberlin. According to her program biography, she studied acting with movie cast member Alan Arkin to prepare for the role.
Jeff Zahn (father of Haley Zahn) plays Susy’s husband, Sam. Though onstage only briefly, he makes the impression of a loving husband who wants his wife to be self-sufficient. This is important as, even though he isn’t physically present, much of the plot revolves around what the con men try to make it look like he’s done.
The set looks so convincing, it’s as if SMCT cut a real living room/kitchen out of an apartment, picked it up, and transported it to the stage.
Act One is taut and suspenseful, but the pacing is a tad loose in Act Two as the plot reaches a head. Director Johannes Beals brings some needed chills to a season traditionally dominated by light holiday fare.
Freelancer Brent Parker can be contacted through Arts Editor Shelly Cone at scone@santamariasun.
This article appears in Nov 25 – Dec 2, 2010.