Welcome to the home of classic movie star Constance Crowne, a woman who glittered in the black and white movies of the past, but now finds herself elegantly full of ennui, floating around her home and reminiscing about the good old days.

When a teenager knocks on her door one morning, Constance (Wendy Hovland) finds herself intrigued and open to helping young Dee Dee (Isabella Turner) in her presentation for aginatire on her petition. Not that Dee Dee asked for anything more than a signature, but Constance is determined to help Dee Dee by teaching her some presentation and acting tricks, and a little bit of Shakespeare.

Former producer Andy (Fred Harlow) is his wife’s biggest fan, catering to her whims, mixing drinks, and applauding as she makes dramatic entrances on the stair landing. As much as Constance loves her drama on screen, she is surprised by its arrival at her doorstep on her birthday in the form of her estranged son, Hal (Markus Rodriguez), followed by an earthquake, and then the arrival of Dee Dee and her mother, Eva (Cristina Gallo). As they all share a small space, Sympathy and support are offered, frustrations mount, secrets are revealed, and the question becomes what actions will Constance be remembered for?

Wendy Hovland as Constance Crowne in OnStage Playhouse’s “Knock Loudly!” (OnStage Playhouse)

Hovland is wonderful as Constance, gracefully posing and preening as her robe flows behind her, with a glass of wine in one hand and a cigarette holder in the other. She makes Constance more than a one-note delusional former actress, but one who longs for the purpose and presence she had as a working actress. However, she keeps painful past mistakes firmly out of sight and out of mind. Her delivery of a Shakespearean monologue is particularly effective, giving a glimpse of how talented Constance was as a performer.

Harlow’s Fred loves Constance, but under his smiling facade, he hides how hard he works to keep everything running. Turner is a sweet teenager as Dee Dee, and Gallo is fiercely protective as Dee Dee’s mother, Eva. Rodriguez, as Hal, has a lot of anger and pain about the mother-son relationship he wanted versus the one he had with Constance as a mother.

Walking into the theatre, you may feel like you’ve stepped directly into a classic black and white movie. The set, designed by Duane McGregor, not only utilizes the space extremely well but also harkens back to Constance’s heyday, a time when she and film were glamorous. Lighting design by Ginger Chody takes the same cues, but also allows for film clips from old movies (by Michael Simpson and Vic Terry) to be projected on the back wall. Costume design by Brad Dubois works well, especially with the silky flowing materials Constance uses to significant effect. Sound design by Jaden Guerro brings it all together.

Written by Anna Sandor, this production is the world premiere of “Knock Loudly” and is directed by OnStage Playhouse artistic director James P. Darvas. The play is 90 minutes with an intermission, and even with Darvas’ direction highlighting the humor and the emotional cost of fame (and delusion), the play has a few too many twists and turns and not enough development for a satisfying payoff. Scenes end quickly just as tensions build, and the play feels unfocused and not quite ready for the final cut. As the plot twists offer more information, the play feels like it could go in multiple directions, but never truly chooses which one to explore fully.

Still, this work is intriguing to see what it can become. Supporting new works and the theatres that take them on is like Constance mentoring Dee Dee; they help build the next generations of artists, and everyone benefits from that.