Haunted ‘Hill House’ Needs Major Repairs

Author Shirley Jackson was a fun-loving lady, but in her writing she looked at the darker, odder side of things, as in her famous classic short story “The Lottery.” Her novel “The Haunting of Hill House” was no less strange, a tale about a young woman’s obsession with a haunted house.

F. Andrew Leslie’s stage adaptation of the novel at Huntington Beach Playhouse doesn’t come close to the creeping horror of the original. It ineptly breaks the action into tiny scenes, and the necessary costume changes and widely separated exits and entrances suck most of the tight suspense out of the tale.

It also doesn’t dig very deeply into Jackson’s dark fable of a psychic researcher named Dr. John Montague (John Bolen), who rents the house for a month and hires two witnesses to verify what goes on there.

Cynical Theodora (Kelley Samuels), who takes the whole haunting thing in stride, and troubled, confused Eleanor (Shelly Frasier), who begins to believe the house is pulling her into its spell, are his two assistants. The fourth team member is young Luke (Roger B. Huff); his aunt owns the house and will probably leave it to him.

Leslie’s adaptation plays like one of those Saturday afternoon B-horror movies from the 1940s, and Geoffrey Gread’s flat direction does little to help. Most of the scenes are on one level of tone, animation and shading, and he hasn’t guided his actors into creating much in the way of characterization.

Outside of Ed Gates’ marvelously spooky set and David Dilorio’s well-conceived original score, the production remains two-dimensional.

These actors must be capable of more. Bolen’s psychic investigator shows little zeal, and Huff’s randy, greedy nephew always seems to be ready to dash out for a game of tennis. Samuels fares a little better as the wise-cracking Theodora, and Frasier’s doomed heroine Eleanor has moments of credibility, but they’re still not as richly detailed as they could be.

Freda Nelson Evans is little more than bland as the doughty patrician owner of Hill House, a small role that should set the mood for the whole piece. Karin Monroe gets unnecessary laughs as the housekeeper, and Paul Kornrumpf overacts outrageously as her quick-tempered husband. Eddy Jones and Cathi Kurvink are weak and lost in small roles.

“The Haunting of Hill House,” Huntington Beach Playhouse, 7111 Talbert Ave., Huntington Beach. Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. Ends Nov. 21. $13. (714) 375-0696. Running time: 2 hours.

Freda Nelson Evans Mrs. Sanderson

John Bolen Dr. John Montague

Eddy Jones Eldridge Harper

Paul Kornrumpf Dudley

Shelly Frasier Eleanor Vance

Karin Monroe Mrs. Dudley

Kelley Samuels Theodora

Roger B. Huff Luke

Cathi Kurvink Mrs. Grace Montague

A Huntington Beach Playhouse production of F. Andrew Leslie’s stage adaptation of Shirley Jackson’s novel. Produced by Catherine Stip. Co-produced by Merle Cade, Don Stanton. Directed by Geoffrey Gread. Original musical score: David Dilorio. Scenic design: Ed Gates. Lighting design: Technical Creations. Costume design: Loretta Lupo. Stage manager: Terry Russell.