Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, The BFG, James and the Giant Peach, Fantastic Mr. Fox. Roald Dahl maybe best known for his stories for children, but he wrote for adults too, and now By the Sea Productions will present the premiere performance of two original plays by Samvel Gottlieb, Dahl’s Darlings (Obedience and Other Deadly Virtues), adapted from two Roald Dahl short stories, 1953’s “Lamb to the Slaughter,” which was later adapted into an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and 1954’s macabre “The Way Up to Heaven.”
Both stories are about formerly docile wives who find ways to take control of their lives. In “Lamb,” pregnant housewife Mary Maloney is facing a divorce from her police detective husband, Patrick. In “Heaven,” Mr. Foster pressures Mrs. Foster with her pathological fear of tardiness.
Directed by Madison Wethington, this staged reading stars Jim Allen, Larry Bolef, Alyza Boriphanvichitr, Olivia Cusick, Jonah Duhe, Kate Kravets, Randall Lyon, and Topher Lyons. See it on Jan. 17 to 19, at 545 Shasta Ave., Morro Bay. Tickets are $15, and reservations can be made by calling (805) 776-3287. More info is available at bytheseaproductions.org. Δ
This article appears in Jan 16-26, 2025.