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| Mike (Ryan Tasker) tells Susan (Sarah Jiang) that he's a friend of her husband. (Tracy Martin photos) |
Hillbarn Theatre & Conservatory is presenting a
gripping production of Frederick Knott’s thriller, “Wait Until Dark.”
Set in a Greenwich Village basement apartment in
1944, this adaptation by Jeffrey Hatcher focuses on a drug-stuffed doll sought
by three crooks.
The doll inadvertently wound up in the apartment
after someone secretly hid it in the luggage of commercial photographer Sam
(Sahil Singh). The crooks think it’s in his apartment.
While Sam is away on business, they use subterfuge
against Sam’s blind young wife, Susan (Sarah Jiang), who knows nothing about
it.
One of the crooks, Carlino (Stefan Fisher), pretends
to be a cop looking for information about a murdered woman whose body was found
near the apartment.
Another, Mike (Ryan Tasker), says he’s an Army buddy
whom Sam saved. At first he’s convincing to both Susan and the audience. He
seems helpful, but suspicions start to emerge.
Finally, there’s the ruthless, villainous Roat
(Scott Coopwood). In the final scenes, he and Susan engage in a dangerous life-and-death
battle with one terrifying move after another.
Although Susan is blind, her other senses have
sharpened. For example, her hearing is so keen that she knows that two of her
visitors, despite pretending to be two different men, have the same shoes and
way of walking.
Her blindness also gives her an advantage against
Roat in her darkened apartment.
Completing the cast is Mia Rapoport as Gloria, a
neighbor girl who has been helping Susan. At first she seems like a brat, but
she proves to be a valuable ally.
Director Vickie Rozell carefully ramps up the
tension as the action takes place one evening and the following afternoon. She
has selected a top-notch cast with each actor fully inhabiting his or her
character.
Jiang’s convincing performance as the blind Susan
was aided by consultant Walter T. Raineri from the Bay Area’s Vista Center,
which serves the blind and visually impaired.
Sarah Phykitt designed the set. One of its key
elements is a refrigerator, called an ice box in those days.
Lighting is by Ed Hunter with sound by Jeff Mockus
and costumes by Courtney Middleditch-Morgan.
Running about two hours and 10 minutes with an
intermission, “Wait Until Dark” will continue through Nov. 3 at Hillbarn
Theatre, 1285 E. Hillsdale Blvd., Foster City.
For tickets and information, call (650) 349-6411or
visit www.hillbarntheatre.org.
