Review: GASLIGHT at Regal Theatre

Sitting so deep within the modern vernacular, the term gaslight is likely more well-known than its etymology in the 1938 Patrick Hamilton play. Rather than being a play about manipulation, the modern retelling, adapted by Johnna Wright and Patty Jamieson, brings a plot and characters rich with tension and drama. The play is rightly a classic, and the modern adaptation maintains the elements that made it a classic whilst thrusting Bella into a more central role and leaving her to save herself.

The two leads- Geraldine Hakewill as Bella and Toby Schmitz as Jack make a wonderful pairing, even if their chemistry as a couple is not the point of this story. Indeed, their being a couple is a mere undertone, portrayed well but in the backseat to the ever-growing distrust and manipulation that boils early and simmers throughout. Hakewill’s demeanour and the way she carries herself reflect her character at each stage of the storyline, and she is markedly healthier and standing taller as her self-doubt wanes and her belief grows. On the other hand, Schmitz is an excellent anti-hero, manipulative and conniving enough to be obvious, but not so much that the audience automatically hates him. Indeed, the balance between the two leads allows the audience to doubt, question, and be sure at various times, sometimes suspending the dramatic irony that would otherwise flourish.

Minor characters in name only, Kate Fitpatrick is a wonderfully stoic Elizabeth, thrusting her own storyline forth whilst also driving the main plot in several key ways, and indeed cleverly leaving the audience with enough doubt in Bella’s sanity for much of the show. Courtney Cavallaro is excellent as the maid Nancy, outwardly smart and funny, with an air of her own manipulation and cunning that means her character’s motivations are charming as much as they are criminal.

The entire show takes place within the drawing room of a Victorian/Edwardian mansion, stairs in the background and an unseen front door the only exits. Set and costume designer Renee Mulder does an excellent job giving the room a character of its own, with Paul Jackson’s lighting design not only showing the passage of time but also ensuring the room (and the titular gaslights) lend another dimension to the play.

GASLIGHT does a wonderful job creating tension and manipulating it as needed, and a genuine battle of wills plays out driven by the four brilliant cast members. It is not perfect, with Bella’s final confrontation being ill-conceived to the point of frustrating, and she then delivers an impassioned and powerful monologue that takes her a long way from the turn of the 20th century setting. However, this play is a classic for a reason, and the depth of character and plot supplied by the four characters truly bring it to life. Suspense and intrigue are carefully built, managed and dismantled by a talented cast and crew, and its impossible not to be pulled deep into the timeless story.

GASLIGHT is at the Regal Theatre until June 9th before heading to New South Wales.

Tickets and more information from GASLIGHT Australia.

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