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| Cast | |
| Mike | Colin Townsley |
| Croaker | George Robinson |
| Roat | David Hampton |
| Susy | Tina Bicknell |
| Sam | Marshall Anderson |
| Gloria | Susan Hampton |
| Policewoman | Jane Bootyman |
| Policeman | Jeremy Pallett |
| Crew | |
| Stage Manager | Sue Neville |
| Assistant Stage Managers | Audrey Rhodes, Caroline Hobin, Eve Sutch |
| Set Designer | Steve Marshall |
| Lighting | Peter Meehan, John King |
| Sound | Bill Ayling |
Reviews
A touch of class
Talented and exciting performances by two young women added a touch of class to Frederick Knott's thriller Walt Until Dark at Bexleyheath's Edward Alderton Theatre. This classic thriller, written by the same author as Dial M for Murder, was the theatre's first attempt at this type of play and it succeeded admirably.
Blonde Tina Bicknell gave a most convincing performance as the young blind girl terrorized by three criminals intent on getting their hands on a heroin-filled doll unwittingly brought home by her husband. Bespectacled young Susan Hampton gave a very confident performance as the 'enfant terrible' from upstairs, who turns up trumps in the end.
The sinister and ruthless mastermind, Roat, played by Susan's father David, generated great suspense. His two henchmen Mike, Colin Townsley, and Croaker, George Robinson, gave him admirable support. In my opinion, the two police officers at the end were superfluous and just confused the final minutes.
J S
Unknown newspaper | 29 May 1980
Chilling charade in the dark
A near-capacity Edward Alderton Theatre, Bexleyheath, waited in anticipation for Frederick Knott's Wait Until Dark last Saturday.
The audience did not have to wait long for the darkness. The play began with two shady characters shifting silently around an unlit, curtainless set. They were confidence tricksters who had themselves been tricked into aiding a ruthless murderer. All this killer wanted was a doll — stuffed with heroin. A blind woman had the doll, which her husband had unwittingly smuggled into the country. With the husband diverted to Brighton, the charade began. Unfortunately the wife, Susy, had lost the doll to her 12-year-old aide and friend, Gloria.
The suspense was chillingly built up. As each scene came to a dramatic close it had us all on the edge of our seats. The acting was clinical but startlingly effective. Mike, the supposed friend of Susy's husband, was played with charming ingenuity by Colin Townsley. His con-man partner Croaker, played well by George Robinson, snooped around the basement flat in which the action took place, with all the interference a real police detective might give. David Hampton, in the part of the ringleader — the sinister Roat — did well to portray this crazed villain without going over the top.
Highlight
text for spoilers:
Susy,
with Tina Bicknell acting well in the role of a blind person, becomes
suspicious of the three con-men. She evens up her disadvantage of
blindness by throwing ammonia into the face of Roat and then plunging
the flat into darkness. There is one flaw in her black-out attempt and
Roat discovers it. The light from the refrigerator conspires with Roat
to shed some light on to the scene.
Luckily Gloria, played with just the right amount of youthful arrogance by Susan Hampton, comes to the rescue. With her comes Susy's husband, played by Marshal Anderson, and the couple are reunited after Roat receives the justice be deserved.
The lighting by Peter Meehan and John King was synchronized perfectly with the action, even though the play was acted in semi or complete darkness much of the time. This in turn resulted in a great atmosphere being produced. The audience was kept in suspense throughout what was an exciting and very well-produced thriller.
G M
Kentish Times | 22 May 1980
