I’ll Be Back Before Midnight is a tantalising play full of twists, turns and jumps that will have your heart thumping, palms sweating and your skin prickling.
This spine-tingling production is being Presented at the beautifully unique Pavilion Theatre Castle Hill by the talented Castle Hill Players and directed by Ben Freeman.
The play is set in a cosy country cottage where Greg the elusive unsupportive husband, played by Mitch Doran, has brought his wife, Jan for recovery after a long admission in a psychiatric hospital. Jessie Peak as Jan was marvellous at portraying the neurotic self-doubting wife; her fearful and frustrated emotional outbursts were impactful and harrowing.
Greg instigated trouble in his marriage by inviting his sister, Laura, who is despised by Jan, his wife. Mitch Doran is wonderfully convincing in his role as the standoffish, self-oriented husband. Mitch skillfully portrayed the unraveling of his character, unearthing closets of surprising secrets.
Meredith Blee as Laura, the sister of Greg who has come to stay with Greg and Jan at the country cottage, showed great antics and dramatics between herself and both Greg and Jan. Meredith displayed a somewhat teasing and trouble-making character and ‘dug her own grave’ for doing so.
Jonathon Burt presents our fourth character, George, the owner of the cottage who consistently drops in to spread a dash of hysteria and hysterics. Jonathon was delightfully hilarious as George, delivering witty one-liners in fantastical succession. Jonathon’s comedic delivery and depth of character were fabulously displayed.
With a production team outnumbering the acting cast near 4 to 1, it is clear how collaborative team effort developed such a wonderful theatrical stage adaption. The team seemingly spared no expense and poured endless hours of loving dedication into creating this fantastic production.
The advantageous feats the production team went to in order to make all the ‘magic’ happen—and there sure was plenty of ‘magic’ and special effects—was incredibly admirable. In pursuit of authenticity, they gained police permission to fire a real shotgun with blank bullets to create an authentic live sound and experience. It’s the ingenious creativity and attention to fine details that molded the show into a thoroughly impressive experience.
The stage construction was ingeniously designed to enhance the theatrics, such as the furiously abused kitchen serving window and the shutters which eerily flew open and closed. The artistic design of the living room where the entire play took place was creatively and effectively laid out.
The lighting was fantastic, cleverly simulating cars leaving and arriving through the stage window and the timely light dimming and spotlights accompanying the stage drama. Also notable was the fireplace explosion with smoke and lights and the several feigned power outages which were all executed masterfully.
The numerous sound effects throughout, including the cars, telephone and recordings, elevated the action superbly. The thumping, bassy heartbeats penetrated the audience into a state of unease and anticipation. Additionally, the sinister piano music illuminated the eeriness and contributed to create the perfect creepy atmosphere.
I’ll Be Back Before Midnight is a gripping play packed with a solid, talented cast and a wonderful display of special effects. It will make you laugh, jump, gasp and scream, and leave you tingling with goosebumps. Grab your tickets and enter this welcoming theatre but take heed to “be back before midnight.”
To book tickets to I’ll Be Back Before Midnight , please visit https://paviliontheatre.org.au/ill-be-back-before-midnight/.
Photographer: Chris Lundie
