Presented by Next Stage Theatre Company
Wednesday 8th - Saturday 11th July 2026
Bella is trapped in an unhappy marriage to a cruel manipulative husband. Help arrives unexpectedly one evening in the form of a retired detective, Sergeant Rough. He is investigating an unsolved crime; the brutal throttling of Alice Barlow - known as “The Cabman’s Friend”, a wealthy eccentric widow - more than twenty years before. The case has continued to haunt Sergeant Rough.
He seeks Bella’s assistance in his quest for answers and justice because the murder took place in the very same house in which Bella now lives.
Gaslight, written by the novelist and playwright Patrick Hamilton in 1938, appears to be the first time ‘gaslighting’ was coined as a kind of psychological and emotional abuse. Perhaps more likely to be termed coercive control nowadays, the underlying themes of this play remain desperately current.
Next Stage Theatre Company is thrilled to present this timeless play, directed by Claire Rumball (An Inspector Calls, 2009; Dancing at Lughnasa, 2024). Innovative staging in the versatile Mission Theatre space promises to transport you to a dark gaslit Victorian parlour as the chilling, emotional events unfold.
Cast
Review
by Rebecca Beard
On one of the brightest and warmest days of the year, what a feat of imagination to be transported to a dark evening in Victorian London. The setting for this literally and metaphorically dark play is perfect for drawing us into our darkest fears; what if we can trust neither our own perceptions nor the person that is supposed to care for us the most. Ginia Bellafante, columnist for the New York Times observed that Gaslight established the blueprint for a kind of domestic peril theatre. "Every time an actress portrays the sort of wife who discovers that the greatest threat to her mental and physical safety is the man sitting in her breakfast nook, Mr Hamilton's estate ought to receive some type of remuneration."
That it is based on a true story (as is his other stage to screen classic, Rope) adds a degree of chilling terror to the proceedings. The themes of domestic violence and coercive control are, alas, timeless. The taut direction by Claire Rumball emphasised the differences between the characters, delicately balancing the issues of sex and class inherent to the script. It is part psychological thriller and part detective mystery as we wonder if Bella will escape. the jewels will be found and the Spirit of Justice for the murder victim will prevail. Act one showed us Jack as a callous manipulator, but in Act two we saw Jack going through his own confusion at finding he was not in control of events.
Next Stage's high production values were very much front and centre of this performance. The set was dressed with rugs and furniture appropriate to the period and setting, full of ornaments which were more than set dressing as they became essential to the plot. Kris Nuttall and Andy Punt are to be commended for the lighting using table lamps, a coal fire and a ceiling light for verisimilitude, as well as the appropriate dimming of the lamps. I especially liked the touch of red as Inspector Rough narrated the murder from the past. Combined with the costumes by Ness Bishop we were well and truly in the 1880s. Music choices emphasised theme over historical accuracy and the modern pieces were an interesting juxtaposition to the late Victorian setting. All these worked well to build up the tension. We could easily imagine the pea-souper outside but the atmosphere within the Manningham house could be cut with a knife.
Casting was excellent with each player bringing the right energy to the role and creating the perfect balance. Ella Wheelton was both sullen and sultry as Nancy; a foil for Bella, she naively thinks she can manipulate men like Jack. Ananda Rhodes was a perfect Elizabeth who tries to support Bella as far as she can within her role as housekeeper and understanding very well what men like Jack are capable of; the sort of woman you need in times of crisis. Her stillness when concerned that the Inspector would be discovered was pitch perfect. Mayur Bhatt breezed into the room like a breath of fresh air on a foggy night as Inspector Rough, a perfect foil to Jack; commanding not bullying, smart not scheming. Antonia White was a believable Bella, delicate, infantilised, humiliated, ground down by years of emotional abuse but finding her agency and spark when the time was right. Her final scenes as she turned the tables on Jack and then left the room at last a free woman were profoundly moving. Credit must also go to Sam Fynn who stepped in at the last moment to play Jack and even with a script in hand blended seamlessly.
Congratulations to everyone involved. This was an excellent choice of play and sensitively handled, tackling uncomfortable themes without appearing preachy.
A night at the Mission Theatre is always a treat with high-quality drama and a warm welcome and tonight was no exception. This one comes highly recommended.
