Dark Matters Captivates With Intriguing Extraterrestrial Possibilities

Humans have been fascinated with space — the stars, planets and the possibility of extraterrestrial life — for as long as they’ve been looking at the night sky. In the United States, that fascination, particularly with alien life and the possibility of them visiting and observing our planet, created a significant subculture active since the middle of the 20th century. West End Players Guild explores the phenomena in a captivating, suspenseful production of Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa’s Dark Matters.

Michael Cleary has called Sheriff Benjamin Egan to report that his wife Bridget is missing. As he’s interviewing Michael, the sheriff learns that this isn’t the first time his wife has disappeared without notice, it’s just the first time it’s happened before dark. Bridget is writing a book about UFOs and aliens and frequently takes off in the middle of the night without telling her husband or their son Jeremy. Her strange disappearances even led to a significant domestic event shortly before the family moved back here from Washington D.C., to the rural Virginia town where Bridget grew up.

Several days after her latest disappearance, just as the family and sheriff are about to give up hope, Bridget bursts in the front door, startling them all with her fantastic story. The tale she recounts shakes Michael to his core, causing him to question their relationship and fear for his son’s future. If Bridget’s story is true, can the family rebuild trust in time to protect Jeremy? And what part in all this does the sheriff play?

Questions of trust and belief are central to the many revelations and twists the keenly engaging play takes, and the actors fully commit to their characters’ uncertainties. Joseph Garner turns in a strong, grounded performance as Michael Cleary, an imperfect man who finds his trust and sense of security profoundly shaken. Garner is sometimes difficult to understand in the character’s more emotionally intense moments, but he never fails to convey meaning. Cory Burke is sympathetic and compelling as young Jeremy Cleary, a typical teen trying to fit in after moving from the city to a small town.

Jeremy’s occasional monologues are well interpreted by Burke and set off with a special halo-like spotlight, distinguishing them from the primary action of the play. They build with persuasive and increasingly important effect as the story unravels and his future becomes the primary focus. Ben Ritchie is taciturn and reassuring as Sheriff Egan, becoming more suspiciously circumspect in ways that may have you second-guessing his motives as the story progresses. As Beverly Cleary, Suki Peters unquestionably believes in her character’s fundamental truth as well as her genuine love and concern for her family, whether the others believe her or not. Her characterization is poignant and occasionally heartbreaking, even when Michael isn’t sure if she can be trusted.

What really happened during this time is an elusive element in this intriguing and unexpectedly engrossing play. Though this may frustrate some audience members, leaving the final assessment to the viewer is part of what makes this production suspenseful, satisfying and conversation-ready. Suitable for most audiences, and featuring convincing performances and smart direction by Karen Pierce, the uncertain truths in Dark Matters offer intriguing entertainment most will enjoy.

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