THE PLAY: A man travels to a distant estate in the English countryside to settle a woman’s affairs, only to be haunted by an ominous specter.

 

THE PRODUCTION: This show has been running in London since 1989 and relies heavily on stagecraft to elevate this wordy work. The essentially two-man cast spends the first 30 minutes rehearsing and discussing before they actually start to spin the story. And unfortunately, it’s more told than experienced, which breaks the momentum. Bill Blair and Matt Hackman handle the narrative with skill, but seldom manage to give the drama real impact. Director Tom Width has effectively staged the dark moments with magical effects, but it’s Joe Doran’s perfect cross and back lighting that creates most of the mood. Paul Deiss’s excellent stereo sound design also helps sell the story. Running time: 2:00

 

THE POINT: The stagecraft excels in this talky tale, but too much third-person narration makes it a challenge to appreciate the darker moments. I was never even mildly scared.

 

(3 / 5)

 

At Swift Creek Mill Theatre thru 10/21