THE Castle Players are about to perform one of their darkest ever plays.
Gaslight, a play written in 1938 by Patrick Hamilton and later adapted for the silver screen, gave us the term “gaslighting” . But let there be no seeds of uncertainty or doubt planted in the minds of the audience when The Castle Players put on the production – it looks like they’re in for a treat.
Set in Victorian times, Gaslight will be performed in the intimate Whorlton Village Hall, which has once again been transformed into the Little Theatre on the Green. There will be just three chances to see the play – and the shows are already selling out. Director Mary Stastny says the hall is small enough that the audience will feel they are in Mrs Manningham’s drawing room, as she tries to work out if she is really losing her mind or if her husband is behind her torture. Why do things keep disappearing or get moved around the house? Why do the gaslights dim ten minutes after Mr Manningham leaves the house?
There will be period decorations and paintings around the little theatre to make the audience feel right at home, says Ms Stastny.
Ms Stastny says the audience, which has a suggested rating of 12-plus, will at times be made to feel uncomfortable, although that will have nothing to do with their seats.
She said: “People like Mr Manningham really do exist. The first time I saw gaslighting in real life, I didn’t recognise it for what it was, let’s just say that.”
The idea to stage the play came after The Castle Players had finished their autumn and winter prod-uctions of The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, and Treasure Island. Some members wanted more.
Ms Stastny said: “There was a long winter stretching ahead of us so we wanted to fill it.”
Less than a dozen Players are putting the play together and are responsible for everything from costumes and set design to promotion and ticket sales.
Ben Pearson, who plays Mr Manningham, said: “Gaslighting is a term we hear willy nilly these days. Even Prince Harry accused the Palace of gaslighting him. This is the original story.
“Mr Manningham gets a sense of enjoyment and perverse pleasure out of his mental abuse of his wife. Unlike everyone I have played before, he has no redeeming features. He is dark and horrible.”
As Mrs Manningham (Heather Armstrong) reaches the depths of despair, Inspector Rough turns up. He is played by Harry French, who won acclaim for his portrayal of Scrooge in a Christmas Carol a few years back with just ten days’ notice.
Phoebe Lorenz has been drafted into play a maid with ideas above her station, while Sarah Fell is housekeeper Elizabeth.
Peter Cockerill, who is giving Ms Stastny a helping hand, said the closest the Castle Players have come to performing a play like Gaslight is the darkness of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. He said: “But that’s performed in summer at The Bowes Museum – it has a different feel to this.”
Gaslight will be performed on Friday, March 31, at 7.30pm, and Sunday, April 1, at 2.30pm and 7.30pm. Tickets cost £12 and are available on 07768 050197.
