Gaslight

A charming traditional feeling greeted me when I arrived at the theatre; brought on by the beautiful Christmas tree with decorations all hand made by the cast.  Once in the auditorium another fantastic sight was the set for Gaslight.  A Victorian room, of an evidently well off couple; lots of attention to detail with the set and props, and a lovely fireplace.

Sarah Bell was brilliant as Bella Manningham.  She took us on the rollercoaster that Bella undoubtedly experiences through her life.  Sarah delivered such a mix of emotions, and there was great chemistry between her and Colin Smith, playing Jack Manningham which allowed them to create such tension. Colin commanded the stage, demonstrating the power and control he has over Bella.  Rough, played by Andy Perrin is quite a contrast to the upper class, cold Jack.  Rough is gentle and softly spoken with a traditional London accent. His appearance shakes the routine of Bella and Jack’s life.  Rachel Curren played Elizabeth the housekeeper, a genuine character who clearly cares about Bella and wants to help her, but is suitably nervous around Rough and Jack.  Nancy the maid is played by Corinne Woodgate, a cheeky character who visibly oversteps the mark and has no understanding of the real situation happening in the Manningham house. She thinks she is in control of Jack, but we know that he is 100% in control until the very end when he is broken by Rough.  A really strong team of performers who had a great understanding of the pace of the script, and were able to use silence and gesture as well as the text to deliver the tension required for Gaslight.

The lighting, particularly the glow from the gaslights was beautifully done, well done for such attention to detail.  The sound worked for the piece, and the music used enabled that tense feeling to continue. The costumes were all suited to the era, and were well thought out, complimenting the characters.  A very well directed piece of theatre; I was kept on the edge of my seat until the end.

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