Gaslight

Photos

Cast & Crew

Crew

Director – Peter Shore

Review

The tension mounted minute by minute as the evil and manipulative Jack Manningham deliberately and coldly set out to rid himself of his wife Bella by driving her insane.It is only through the unexpected arrival of maverick former detective Rough and the battle of wills that ensues that she is saved from his brutal plan.

A straight forward enough plot maybe but one made totally riveting by the expert performances of the Oxted Players’ most excellent actors.
Peter Damesick was increasingly menacing as the hateful Jack Manningham and I found a dislike forming for this nasty individual. He not only looked and sounded the part but was also completely convincing as a man who knows exactly how to undermine his wife’s confidence, making her believe the believable.

Julie Silverman played the unfortunate Bella as she struggles to understand what is happening to her. She played the haunted character, humiliated and downtrodden, to perfection. It is not until the end that Bella’s strength is at last revealed.

With his gruff voice and demeanour, Chris Butler was perfect as the feisty Rough and Stephanie Hornett Johnson suitably saucy as the maid Nancy, who is out to capture her master’s attention. Angela Webb’s portrayal of Elizabeth reveals the servant’s sweet nature and it is she who insists Bella talks to the erstwhile detective Rough.

Once again a great set and faultless costumes – Sigrid Sherrel

Review

They say that you learn something new every day and that is a blessing I enjoyed when reading the programme for Oxted Players production of Gaslight. Up until this point I had heard of Gaslighting as a term used to describe certain domestic abuse cases, but had no idea of the root of the phrase. It is the very disturbing behaviour of systematically undermining an individuals’ sanity.

What an unnerving contemplation for the subject matter of this wonderful play by Patrick Hamilton. As you might well imagine, it was then a huge undertaking for the cast of seven players to deliver a sensitive and yet realistic portrayal of the story. However Peter Shores cast delivered beyond expectation utterly captivating us the audience and dragging us unwillingly into the terrifying reality of the lead Bella Manningham, played brilliantly and always convincingly by Julie Sliverman.

The manipulative villain, Jack Manningham, was equally skilfully delivered by Peter Damesick who even drew an unexpected Boo from the audience on his walk down, so credible was he in the part of the abusive husband. Chris Butler as Detective Rough gave sterling plausibility
to the hero of the piece allowing us at least some comfort and hope that our damsel in distress might be
saved.

The Victorian period piece was entirely set in the drawing room of the Manningham residence, which had been adeptly and yet modestly recreated in a fine set, which was provided by the members and friends of the group and painted by Patrick Tricker. This was thoughtfully lit by Richard Grogan and I particularly enjoyed the realism of the dimming of the front of house rig to coincide with the dimming of the gas lamps.

Pippa Bridges and Tricia Whyte must take the final walk down for me however as the provision of exquisite period costumes for the play was the finishing touch that took it from tremendous to exceptional.

Well done Oxted! Expectation is always high – but you never fail to deliver beyond.