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Contact GASLIGHT The lights flicker as the
curtain rises on a full house for the ‘Painswick Players’ adaptation of this creaky
Victorian thriller. Patrick Hamilton’s
writing emerged from within his own dark life of drink and night life indulgences.
His characters take on a vampiric theme, Jack disappearing into the night wearing a
cloak not dissimilar to that of Dracula, while his frail
wife Bella is convinced she is losing her mind as
familiar objects are lost; and footsteps are
heard at night as the living room gas
lights flicker and Die. This is a ghastly
tale, a Bluebeard horror story in which
Bella walks, too fearful to ask
questions about the room upstairs. George Krasker’s
adaptation of this classic plays to an
efficient cut; the dialogue moves the
plot forward avoiding many of the
originals repetitions. The pace of the play,
from the well drawn out scenes
between Bella and Rough, to the
denouement, keeps our interest fixed. The
set design profiling a stuffy yet comfortable life, contrasts well with
this chilling tale. Bella’s pale
frailty, her joy at the possibility of a trip to the theatre dashed by her cruel
husband were well drawn and a credit to Jean Burgess acting ability.
Her dialogue (reminiscent of an unreliable narrator) allowed us to be one step
ahead – we know something
is very wrong. Jack Burgess’s
solid portrayal of Jack Manningham as a bumptious
bum-pincher who has the potential for murder most
horrid, mixed the normal with the dark in a well
styled performance. Rough’s paternal
concern for Bella, his thought through speeches (and that
delightful comic moment in the cupboard)
were well performed by David James portraying
a man who will do what it takes in order to get justice. plea that her mistress
‘see the gentleman at once’ created a
stylish performance by Sue Leighton-Boyce. Nancy the
wayward maid, played by Cathy Munday,
worked to a lively performance highlighting the
frustrations and very limited possibilities available to the servants. This is a dark jewel of a
play well delivered and well received. Anne Lauppe-Dunbar Creative Writing
Tutor - PhD research student - University of Wales, Swansea |
