NEW MILFORD — There are many tropes in the psychological thriller genre. Lies, mistaken identity, unreliable narrators and so forth. These have become old hat when watching plays and movies of this ilk. Playwright Frederick Knott was one of the very first to introduce these concepts in his writing. Two of his works became the gold standard for the psychological thriller. The first was Dial M for Murder; the second was his 1966 play Wait Until Dark (later adapted into the Audrey Hepburn-led movie version).

A tight and suspenseful production of the latter is now playing at TheatreWorks New Milford under the direction of Keli Solomon.

Almost 60 years after its introduction, this play still holds power. While some of the plot points and scenarios seem predictable, this fresh new production breathes life into this classic play.

Wait Until Dark tells the story of Susan Hendrix (being played in New Milford by Ali Bernhardt), a woman who has lost her sight, becoming the target of a group of con men who are searching for a doll they believe Susan is in possession of. The audience knows from the opening moments of the show who the bad guys are. Bernhardt keeps viewers on the edge of their collective seats as they watch Susan skillfully navigate the position she has been put in using her heightened senses.

Bernhardt commits fully to the sympathetic, yet resilient and strong character of Susan. The subtle but effective command of the stage is thrilling to watch from beginning to end. Bernhardt brings a beautiful understanding of not only the character, but also the genre and time period itself. Her final moments of the show prove to be some of the most intense and riveting stage moments audiences have seen in this area in quite a while.

The show opens with a highly suspect former police detective, Sergeant Carlino (Eric Greenfeld), and the brains of the con operation, Mr Roat (A.M. Bhatt), doing some of the heavy lifting of exposition to get the audience all caught up.

Bhatt delivers an intense and skillful performance, showing from the opening moments that he is a man not to be messed with.

Greenfeld gives a satisfying performance as Carlio, nicely toeing the line between tough guy policeman and unconvincing enough that Susan begins to suspect something is wrong.

Susan also gets a strangely timed visit from one of her husband’s old Army buddies (or so he claims), Mike. Local stage veteran Jim Hipp adeptly plays Mike.

Hipp can always be counted on for a solid and compelling performance, and this production is no exception. Hipp beautifully toes the line between sympathetic friend and villain. The audience really feels his internal struggle whether he wants to continue to take advantage of Susan or protect her. The chemistry between the two actors provides for some of the show’s best moments.

Sam Everett plays the small but pivotal role of Susan’s husband, Sam, who is pivotal to the plot but goes unseen for much of the show. Everett makes the most out of every moment he is on stage. He and Bernhardt are a joy to watch together.

Last, but certainly not least is the little girl who lives upstairs, Gloria (Gwyneth Anderson). The audience is led to believe Gloria is a bratty annoying child, who occasionally helps Susan with certain tasks. We come to find out that Gloria plays a pivotal role in helping Susan deal with the con men. Anderson is very fun to watch on stage, providing some of the show’s lighter moments.

Director Keli Solomon has created a seamless production that continues to build tension throughout and highlights every twist and turn. As always, the set and light design by Leif Smith proves to be its own character and really helps set the intensity of the show. Sue Haneman is a wizard with costumes, leaving little doubt as to what time period this show takes place in.

This production of Wait Until Dark is not to be missed.

Performances continue weekends until April 14. Tickets and more info can be found at theatreworks.us.