Gaslight was first produced in 1935 to critical acclaim and opens at Titchfield Festival Theatre on 8 May. The play was a phenomenal success, appearing at New York's Broadway for a record number of performances for a non-musical. Its author Patrick Hamilton was a celebrated playwright of his age, lauded by both Graham Greene and J B Priestly. The ‘master of suspense’ Alfred Hitchcock also described Gaslight as an archetypal thriller, and later went on to direct Patrick Hamilton’s play Rope.

Set in smoggy fog filled London of the 1880s Gaslight is a classic Victorian melodrama full of thrills and suspense.

Bella and Jack are newly married they settle into what should be an idyllic life in their London home. But all is not well. Why does Jack leave the house at odd hours? Why has he become so overbearing to his beautiful wife and flirtatious with the servants? Most of all what are those noises in the middle of the night and why do the gaslights dim - is Bella going mad or is there something far more sinister afoot?

Stuart Hibbard is director of Gaslight:

“I first watched Gaslight perform when I was young and the play has stayed with me ever since.

“Crime fiction continues to be extremely popular, as we’ve seen with tv dramas such as Line of Duty and Happy Valley. Gaslight is our opportunity to bring this genre of play to the Titchfield stage. The play digs in deeply to demonstrate the fragility of the mind. In Gaslight, you see this woman who is an emotional wreck due to the attitudes and behaviour of her husband, who plays with her mind constantly.”

Gaslight performs from 8 – 13 May 2023. For more information including booking tickets please go to http://titchfieldfestivaltheatre.com/ or contact our Box Office on 0333 666 3366.