THE PLAY: A woman must contend with 3 crooks who are trying to retrieve a heroin-stuffed doll that may have been left in her apartment. The situation is complicated by the fact that she’s blind.

 

THE PRODUCTION: Plays that are intentionally scary are challenging to pull off and this production doesn’t manage to make it work. Ciara McMillan gives her character a spunky personality, while the rest of the cast is mixed in their success. The action’s flow is uneven, which makes the complicated scenario seem convoluted and confusing. For the final encounter in the dark, director David Emerson Toney made the pacing measured and deliberate, which undermines the potential for tension. While there is a mild sense of menace, the show’s uneven energy hinders any attempts at sustained suspense. The technical aspects ably support the production.

 

THE POINT: The performances and pacing are off and that hinders the show’s potential for tension.

 

(2 / 5)

 

At Firehouse Theatre thru 10/18