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Gaslight
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Gaslight
By Terry Westhoff

The sounds of horse hooves clapping on cobble stone. The unexplained flickers of gaslights inside a house. An unsolved murder. A woman on the verge of insanity. Her domineering husband judging her every move and mistake. A mysterious stranger at the doorstep. All of these elements carefully intertwine together to set-up the stirring puzzle at the center of Gaslight, a whodunit Victoria-era thriller filled with deceit, murder, and mystery.

The story foc-uses on Mrs. Manningham, a wealthy socialite who believes she is losing her mind when she starts to hear strange noises and notices the lights always dimming during the night. Her husband, Mr. Manningham, fuels her paranoia and fear by convincing her that she truly is going mad and may need to seek professional help if her condition doesn't improve. But, one day, a peculiar guest arrives at the house to visit Mrs. Manningham while her husband is out. At first, the guest's odd questions baffle Manningham and she believes that he is just a figment of her imagination, until he starts to piece together the strange occurrences happening every night inside the house.

The guest reveals himself as Inspector Rough, and tells Manningham that her husband could be a cold-blooded killer who murdered a woman in the same house fifteen years ago. Her husband is looking for priceless rubies that the woman hid in the house, but he was never able to find them. Rough warns Manningham that if she doesn't listen to him and help him stop her husband, she could be his next victim. Her husband is using her supposed insanity as a ploy to make her question what really is going on under her nose. Mrs. Manningham wants to believe Rough, but she doesn't know if this is just another trick her mind is playing on her, or if her husband is really a killer. If she chooses to believe Rough, she risks losing her sanity and having her husband send her to hospital for the rest of her life. If she doesn't, she risks losing her life at the hands of a murderer.

Gaslight does provide its share of suspense and surprises worthy of a classic mystery with talented cast members who effortlessly sell the anxiety felt almost throughout the entire story. Though the plot starts slow with a long and detailed set-up of the Manningham's personal problems, which could have been sped up to reach the focal point of the story; once it reaches the crux, it takes off and unfolds like a Hitchcockian thriller. Mrs. Manningham's increasing paranoia mixed with Rough's alarming revelation provides the perfect blend of conflict between insanity and reality. The decision Manningham must make isn't easy, and it forces her to deal with her own internal conflict before choosing to believe Rough or protect her husband.

The real spotlights of the play are the actors. Each brings an original quality that truly embodies the building tension and the fear felt throughout the story. John Cygan plays Mr. Manningham with cold, forceful aloofness that fits perfectly with the character. Cygan is never over-the-top or cartoonish with his mannerisms. He brings out the best in a criminal who is trying to keep a low profile. Corinne Shor, however, does too much with her character. Mrs. Manningham is on the verge of losing her sanity, but Shor could have brought this out with more subtle hints and gestures, instead of her grossly exaggerated performance. The highlight of the play is Don Moss, playing Inspector Rough. He manages to deliver the right amount of comedy into a serious situation and gives his character a whimsical quality.

Gaslight is a taut, well written play with vivid performances and a ghostly soundtrack. It is certainly worth a view and will easily entertain and keep audiences on their edge of their seats.

Prices: $25 Premium, $22 Adult,
$17 Seniors, $5 Students.

Gaslight is playing through September 27 at Theatre West:
3333 Cahuenga Blvd., Universal
City, CA 90068.
(323) 851-7977
www.theatrewest.org.

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