“Wait Until Dark” is thrilling from the very first lighting cue.
The play, which opened Wednesday at Cortland Repertory Theatre and runs until July 26, inspired the 1967 Audrey Hepburn film. It takes place in 1944 in the basement apartment of Susan, a blind woman, and her husband Sam. Susan finds herself threatened by a trio of men who will do anything to find the diamonds hidden in her apartment.
Anna Gion’s performance as Susan is truly what brings the play to life. Her face and body language radiated fear and awareness as she navigated the situation, and the audience felt all of her critical realizations.
The staging of the show, paired with her genius performance, brought the audience into Susan’s head. As Susan says, when you cannot see, your other senses become heightened. Cortland Repertory Theatre engulfs the audience in this experience with insanely calculated lighting and sound design, revealing things to us as Susan understands them.
The lighting, which uses matches and flashlights, complemented the set, which looks like a simple apartment at first, but every piece of furniture is calculated and contributes to the story in its own way. The sharp, violin score also added mystery.
As a female who has lived alone before, sometimes the thing I would fear the most is a random man outside my window, and this play embodies that feeling to the fullest extent.
The climax of the show, which takes place in complete darkness, is the most invested I have ever been in a scene of any stage show before. The audience could see little more than vague outlines and motion, if that. Every other sense had to compensate.
I wish I could go back just to experience it from the front row, or a different angle. It is creatively staged, unrelentingly intense and forces your eyes to adjust.
The script, while complicated, is tight and keeps the audience invested as soon as they enter Susan’s world.
I can’t think of a single person I wouldn’t take to this play. It is one of those plays that extends beyond theater, and just plays to general human interest.
