Gaslight

Patrick Hamilton’s Victorian thriller Gaslight has become a classic. A well-known play which is a challenge in all areas of production. It is a dark tale of a marriage based on deceit and trickery, and a husband committed to driving his wife insane in order to steal from her. As Director Bella Coleman says in her programme message Hamilton could never have foreseen that his powerful drama would give rise to the term “gaslighting” used today to describe the psychological manipulation aimed at making their victim question their sanity. 

The play is set in fog-bound London in 1880, at the upper middle class home of Jack Manningham and his wife Bella. The absolutely splendid set by Paul Robbins, which was as much of a star as the cast, certainly created the feeling and atmosphere of the era beautifully furnished with period furniture, pictures and bric-a-brac.  As the play opens it is late afternoon and the air of deepening gloom as night draws in and the gas lamps are lit is crucial to the story.  The technical aspects of the rising and falling gaslights, upon which the whole play depends, was well handled. The lighting in general was good. I especially liked the glow of lamplight through the window and that of the fire. A pity though that there was not a glimmer of light out in the hall when the double doors were open.  It did appear that exits and entrances were made though a black hole caused, I understand, by a power problem at the venue..  Music was well chosen although I felt the opening music went on far too long. Costumes were good, especially Bella’s and Manningham’s. I had a feeling though that Sergeant Rough’s jacket was rather modern.  However, those comments didn’t take anything away from the visual aspect of the production.

What can one say other than congratulations on some excellent acting by this cast.  Great attention had been given to the smaller servant roles which, in my experience, is not always the case.  In a nice performance as Elizabeth, Ruth Montgomery-Law really hit the right note, walking the fine line between deference to her cruel employer and caring loyalty to his wife convincingly. The role of Nancy offers an actress a great opportunity to make her mark in a cameo role and Maxine McKay certainly grasped the opportunity with both hands. What a hussy! The role of the (non-speaking) Police Officer is a pretty thankless one as he only makes an appearance on the penultimate page but Oliver John Brace look suitably official in an excellent Victorian police cape and tall top hat. 

In a commanding performance Geoff Unwin imbued the cruel and heartless Jack Manningham with coldness and quiet menace which is much more chilling than angry shouting.  Bringing a welcome touch of lightness into this dark play is Rough, a retired police detective who still hankers after solving a twenty-year old murder. He turns up to save Bella from an awful fate.  Giving a sense of stability to the proceedings, George Kelly was skilful and amusing in this role. His mannerisms and verbal asides were great. 

The focus in this play is on the leading lady and Abbie Miles was exceptional as Bella, giving a totally believable performance of confusion and self doubt, caught in the dark and unforgiving circumstance she finds herself.  It was good to see in the final scene how she took command and control of the situation and showed real spirit.  This was a performance which will long stay in the memory.

Congratulations to Director Bella Coleman (who incidentally also stage managed the show) and her cast who delivered an absorbing production which dragged us, the audience, unwillingly into the terrifying reality of Bella Manningham’s life. 

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