Take two or more complete strangers, trap them in a single location, and watch the fireworks fly. It’s a formula that worked for John Hughes in his 1985 classic The Breakfast Club and six years later in his not-so-classic Career Opportunities, and it’s a concept that proves every bit as effective at the Zephyr Theatre in Tim Schildberger’s World Premiere winner Midnight Screening.

A 12:00 a.m. screening of Rob Reiner’s ’80s hit The Sure Thing has brought 30something Henry (Ari Frenkel) to a rundown neighborhood revival house run by dotty senior Doris (Denise Moses) the better to revisit one of his late mom’s particular favorites.

No sooner has Henry headed to the men’s room, however, than Doris exits the theater in search of donuts, leaving the door locked behind her and Henry all by his lonesome in the lobby with no possible means of escape.

Not long after, a projection glitch sends the movie’s sole other audience member out of the screening room to inform Doris of what’s gone wrong only to bump into Henry, a meet cute that has River (Mouzam Makkar) taking our hapless hero for an intruder and attacking him on the spot.

Once convinced that Henry’s just there to see the movie like she is, River reassures him that despite Doris’s “mild dementia,” she’s certain to be back soon, and that until then they’ll simply have to wait, preferably in silence since River for one has no desire to make small talk, something more easily said than done given Henry’s propensity to chatter … and to share.

For starters, he’s an elementary school teacher. (“Too weird to get a real job?” wisecracks River.) Secondly, his girlfriend Laura lives near the theater, which is why he was in the vicinity. Thirdly, he’s left his phone at her place because he’s “not into the whole social media thing.”

Henry does manage to pry some info out of River, mainly that she gave up her job as an investment banker eight months ago for reasons she describes as “complicated,” and that she now works at Home Dept “helping idiots find stupid fucking screws.”

As for why she still hasn’t listened to an eight-month-old message on her phone, well that’s something River has no intention of revealing.

And that’s not the only mystery in need of an answer.

Why is it that Henry’s been feeling “more anxious” of late? Why has he been having trouble sleeping? Why has he recently lost interest in everything except dying?

As for River, what was it that prompted her boyfriend to stop talking to her? Why is it that “one day he was there and the next day gone without another fucking word.” Did he really ghost her, or is the truth something quite different?

Clearly there’s more to Henry and River than meets the eye, just one reason Midnight Screening kept me glued to my seat and guessing throughout its compelling ninety minutes.

The opposites-repel chemistry between Frenkel’s quintessential neurotic nerd and Makkar’s quintessential sarcastic b-word is palpable, generating more than a few laughs along the way to the explosive revelations that Midnight Screening has up its sleeve and the beginning of something other than instant dislike for our two leads.

Doubling as director, Schildberger elicits a pair of spontaneous, deeply felt, pitch-perfect performances from Makkar and Frenkel, who keep us invested all the way, and a deliciously dizzy supporting turn from Moses.

Scenic designer Brad Bentz proves you don’t need a big budget to create a snazzy retro movie theater lobby set, and Nick Foran’s ‘80s-infused sound design is as accomplished as his lighting design, one that features a particularly effective use of pitch blackness that fortunately for nyctophobes does not go on too long.

Midnight Screening is produced by Felicity Staunton and Rodney Wilson. Josh Halper is booth operator.

A terrific showcase for a talented writer-director and two busy TV actors who haven’t abandoned their stage roots, Midnight Screening hits a dramatic-comedic bullseye. And you don’t have to wait till 12:00 at night to check it out.

Zephyr Theatre, 7456 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles.
www.write-la.com/midnightscreening

–Steven Stanley
April 16, 2023

Tags: Los Angeles Theater Review, Tim Schildberger, Write LA, Zephyr Theatre