Gaslight

This Gaslight goes from dim to brilliant.

Our early Sunday evening performance had a HOUSE FULL sign out. The place was buzzing.

I heard about Gaslight decades ago but this was my first viewing. The Manningham couple were already on stage under faux-gaslight, she sewing, he reading a paper. Sue Watson’s totally professional design impressed from furniture down to bric-a-brac; I suspect equal credit should go to those involved with its construction and decoration. Likewise for the costumes: no expense was spared on details.

The claustrophobic psychological thriller has only five players. Tall, gaunt-but-elegant Eric de Wit creates an urbane Jack Manningham whom we slowly come to distrust. Meg Hinselwood soon attracts our sympathies as Bella, his wife trying to do the right thing but being belittled constantly by her husband. These are focal to the plot.

The confident cool hand of director Kurt Lerps becomes evident as tension mounts.

Arrival of personable Inspector Rough (Brian Hinselwood) who has become obsessed by this cold case, gradually helps Bella regain confidence in herself, but almost half the audience complained they had trouble hearing him. Hinselwood remedied the problem in act 2, where two minor players (both maids) engage our attention: Catherine Bull as Elizabeth, sympathetic to Rough’s suspicions; and Simone-Maree Dixon as saucy Nancy who tries to seduce Jack.

This Gaslight should continue to attract good business.

Jay McKee

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