Silver Spring Stage tackles Paloma Nozicka’s suspenseful, supernatural drama Enough to Let the Light In — a play with moral tension that makes us wonder what secrets and beliefs we would accept from our partners. Premiered at Steppenwolf Theatre and Teatro Vista in fall 2022, then performed at the Contemporary American Theatre Festival in summer 2024, this new play can be seen by DMV audiences through February 8.  In this two-hander, we meet artist Cynthia on the night she decides to allow her girlfriend of six months, psychiatrist Marc, into her Victorian home for the first time. As the women share drinks and conversation, Marc also sees the invitation inside as the sign she needs to propose to Cynthia (who says yes!). As the new fiancées celebrate, mysterious occurrences pop up in Cynthia’s home: her self-portrait falls off the wall several times, we hear a strange knocking through the wall, and a small door opens unprovoked, revealing a toy firetruck.  Shampa Basu as Marc and Katherine Leiden as Cynthia in ‘Enough to Let the Light In.’ Photo by Pam Burks. Cynthia also seems to avoid taking Marc to bed for the night, insisting instead on a game of “two truths and a lie” before they turn in. Cynthia uses this game of trust as an opportunity to test the waters of sharing her past with Marc, while Marc is uneasy at the game’s inherent deception. The game sparks the unraveling of the big secret at the core of this play — and is when things really start to kick into gear.  As Marc and Cynthia reckon with this revelation, they grapple with differences in faith, particularly belief in religion vs. the supernatural. Aren’t both just accepting intangible things that you can’t prove to be real? Can these partners continue in a relationship without shared belief? Marc also has to wrestle with her own instincts as a psychiatrist, as she learns more about Cynthia’s convictions. Marc wants to be supportive and understand Cynthia better, but can’t help but expose some of the inconsistencies in her beliefs — even as Marc starts to see some of these hard-to-explain phenomena herself.  The two leads, Shampa Basu as Marc and Katherine Leiden as Cynthia, are skilled, compelling actors. Basu brought a balanced approach to the analytical and spiritual with Marc, while Leiden’s raw emotion was exceptionally gripping and powerful — especially in the intimate space at Silver Spring Stage. While the energy flowed well between the two, I only wished that the romantic chemistry was stronger. I personally love to see strong sapphic relationships depicted in art and media, so I hoped for a bit more of a spark.  The script moves a bit slowly at first, but it really grabbed me when it started to pull at the threads of Cynthia’s secret. After that, Basu and Leiden, through the direction of Rob Gorman, deftly drove the action forward. I found myself literally leaning forward throughout their tête-à-tête, as they tread the nuances of their different worldviews while punctuated by several otherworldly moments (and some jump scares).  Katherine Leiden as Cynthia and Shampa Basu as Marc in ‘Enough to Let the Light In.’ Photo by Pam Burks. Rich Frangiamore’s sound design was integral in amping up the thrilling, uncanny moments. The multidirectional sound at the beginning of the play set the mood for something out of the ordinary. Stephen Deming’s lighting design also supported the play’s eerie, unnerving moments well.  Maggie Modig’s set did an excellent job of creating the world of a Victorian home, particularly with the luxe green wallpaper and wood paneling. Cynthia’s looming self-portrait, painted by Leiden herself, was itself dark and mysterious, matching the mood of the play.  The designers and director could have done a bit more to establish the time period. The 1960s-’70s era songs, lack of contemporary decor, and mismatch in costumes had me checking the program book to get confirmation that this was set in the present day.   The strong acting coupled with the thrilling, mysterious story of this drama/suspense play make this well worth seeing. The directors, crew, and designers did an extraordinary job, especially when considering a community theater’s available resources. I applaud Silver Spring Stage for producing a compelling contemporary work by a female playwright that deserves a look by DMV audiences.  Running Time: 90 minutes with no intermission.  Enough to Let the Light In plays through February 8, 2026, at Silver Spring Stage, 10145 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, MD. Purchase tickets ($28; $25 for students and seniors) at the door, online, or by contacting the Box Office at [email protected] or 301-593-6036. Content Advisory: discussion of mature themes (sex, child’s death); kissing; spooky/startling sounds and noises. Enough to Let the Light InBy Paloma Nozicka Directed by Rob Gorman CASTMarc: Shampa BasuCynthia: Katherine Leiden The post Mysterious ‘Enough to Let the Light In’ thrills at Silver Spring Stage appeared first on DC Theater Arts. ...read more read less