Elizabeth Surbey

WAIT UNTIL DARK : ‘EVERYBODY’S FRIGHTENED OF SOMETHING’

The Guild – Wait Until Dark – Grant Leslie Photography

Set in the basement flat in Notting Hill Gate, across barely 24 hours we take a ride with Susy Henderson who until now has been somewhat dependent on her husband after having lost her sight only twelve months earlier in a car accident. He trusts she will find her inner strength and only encourages her growing independence. This inner strength is tested again and again in this suspense thriller.

I was delighted to read about the deeper connections in the detailed theatre foyer display, where the director Glenda Kenyon had herself been directed by her mother and her husband has played opposite in her in the 1970s. Now she brings her own daughter in the role and her granddaughter is the brattish neighbour Gloria, on whom Susy has depended for some local shopping.

This historic passion for the play is demonstrated by the Director and her husband Greg creating an astonishing production, with a set design full of such detail as to take us into the basement flat itself. I cannot comment enough as well the outstanding lighting design of the Hinde team. So important in this thriller of darkness played out on stage.

The company was dynamic and each brought a sensitivity to aid the reveal of the layers in our own well paced discovery. Bravo Lauren Eade as the lead role of Susy, along with the bullish bad guys who provoke our enmity and were particularly threatening, Brendan Flood, David Cascarino and Brendan Jones. Young actress Finlay Thomas L playing Gloria was a treat.

I cannot recommend this local production enough for the edge of seat engagement so wonderfully wrought across the just over two hours of on stage time.

The Guild Theatre’s production of WAIT UNTIL DARK is playing the Guild Theatre until the 9th September 2023 .

SEASON 2023 – https://www.guildtheatre.com.au/our-2023-season/

Cast List

Lauren Ende – Susy Henderson

David Cascarino – Roat

Brendan Flood – Mike Trenton

Brendan Jone  – Detective Sgt Croaker

T.J.Ross – Sam Henderson

Finlay Thomas – Gloria

Greg Kenyon – Swing for Roat, Mike, Croker and Constable

Scott Brawley – Constable Brawley and Sam’s Understudy

Elouise Tanti – Constable Tanti

Production Team

Director Glenda Kenyon

Stage manager Terry Neenan

Set design Glenda Kenyon, Greg Kenyon

Furnishings Glenda Kenyon, Greg Kenyon, Lee Wright

Costume Coordination Lauren Eade and the cast

Lighting Design Roger and Ruth Hinde

Music & Sound Design Kim Jones

Sound/Lighting Peggy Leto

Props Glenda Kenyon, Greg Kenyon, T.J Ross, Guild members

Prompt Roza Gutschow

Set Construction Greg Kenyon

 

Review by Elizabeth Surbey

 

 

Published by Elizabeth Surbey

Elizabeth had a passion for theatre and performing from her youth and was a keen contributor to the joint school musicals- mostly the Gilbert and Sullivan romps. Once she headed to university this passion dominated with a 4 year stint at UNE in Armidale encompassing both performance and directing as major components of her Double Major in Drama and Major in English Literature. The year after graduation she found herself not only at the newly formed Actors' Centre but also teaching high school drama. She is still there, teaching, directing, writing for high school Drama and on the side across the years has performed in small season productions at Q theatre and directed several productions for the Short & Sweet program being a part of the inaugural group. Keenly she has represented other drama educators as committee member then President of Drama NSW also representing NSW on the National Committee at Drama Australia National Conferences. She completed her MA a century ago also with a focus on Drama & Theatre at UNSW. She is now a mum of two and recently directed her sixth Musical - perhaps now coming full circle in the scheme of things. She was contributing and consulting editor on a major Drama text for Cambridge Uni Press "Drama ReLoaded". More than anything she loves theatre and is very keen to share her experiences with this forum. Each year she directs secondary students in plays from Australia and across the globe, in productions large and small.