Featuring a star from Hollyoaks, Channel Four's successful soap, the Palace Theatre's latest play looks set to be a huge success.

Stephanie Schonfield, Hollyoaks' glamorous Janice Bolton, will appear at the Watford theatre from tomorrow, January 30.

Written by Frederick Knott, Wait Until Dark is a nail-biting thriller set in the sixties. Stephanie plays Susy Henderson, a young blind woman who finds herself embroiled in a murder investigation.

Stephanie said: "It's a lovely play for this time of year, as it's quite spooky and twists and turns all the way through."

Wildly different from her on-screen role as the slightly brassy, northern working class mother, Stephanie went to considerable lengths to research this challenging role.

"As this is set in the sixties, I couldn't just research the facilities available for blind people today. Whereas the RNIB did have rehabilitation centres then, generally the support structure available for blind people was not as sophisticated as it is now."

Wait Until Dark, the 1967 film version of which starred Audrey Hepburn, is set in Susy's flat. The audience does not at first realise she is blind, because to find her way around Susy keeps her surroundings immaculately ordered. But once the villains appear on the scene, chaos and confusion ensue.

"We're hoping to have blackout at certain points so the audience feels what it's like to be blind. For the baddies not to have the advantage over her, Susy creates total blackness."

Stephanie, whose other TV credits include Harry Enfield and Chums and Rumpole of the Bailey, feels fortunate to have the opportunity to work in both television and theatre.

"They both have their advantages, but if push came to shove I'd choose the theatre -- you can't replace that communion with the audience. They are like another character, often forming our performances with their reaction."

The Palace was just in time to secure the stage rights for the play as Hollywood's golden boy, Quentin Tarantino, is due to make his stage debut in the play on Broadway in April.

Wait Until Dark runs until February 21. Performances are at 7.45pm on Monday to Thursday, and at 8pm on Friday and Saturday with selected matinees. For tickets from £4 to £15, phone the box office on 01923 225671.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000.Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.