Step into the shadows as Gaslight brings secrets and suspense to the Talisman
Gaslight by Patrick Hamilton at The Talisman Theatre, Kenilworth from 2 to 7 November. Directed by Julien Rosa.
Preview by Sharon Sully and Guy Devine.
Flickering lights, unexplained noises and a growing sense of dread…The Talisman Theatre in Kenilworth invites audiences into a world of deception and suspense as Patrick Hamilton’s classic Victorian thriller, Gaslight, takes to the stage from Monday 2 to Saturday 7 November 2026.
Directed by Julien Rosa, this gripping psychological drama explores manipulation, trust and one woman’s struggle to hold on to her sense of reality. First performed in 1938, the play gave rise to the term ‘gaslighting’, and its themes remain unsettlingly relevant today.
Inside the Manninghams’ seemingly respectable London home, Bella is increasingly troubled. Objects disappear, strange sounds echo through the house, and the gaslights dim without explanation. As her husband Jack insists that her mind is failing, she begins to question everything she sees and hears.
But the unexpected arrival of a detective raises disturbing questions. Is Bella imagining things, or is something far more sinister unfolding beneath her own roof?
For Julien, the production offers both an engrossing mystery and an opportunity to explore why this classic still resonates today. He explains: “Bella Manningham, our protagonist, surely has something to say. And I believe in theatre that, beyond entertainment, asks questions, and ignites debates about who we are as individuals.”
His approach places recognisable human emotions at the heart of the Victorian thriller:
“I wanted to take the play slightly away from its Victorian rigidity, and make it inhabited by people full of instincts, of flaws, of vulnerabilities. People we can indeed relate to, in one way or another.”
As Julien puts it: “It’s a psychological battle, fought against external voices and internal mind. With one big question: how do we escape the darkness when the light is equally blinding?”
That approach places the characters’ humanity at the heart of the suspense, inviting audiences to look beyond appearances as the secrets of the Manningham household begin to emerge.
The cast combines familiar Talisman faces with an exciting debut. Juliet Swan Seaton makes her Talisman outing as Bella, alongside Dean Sheridan as her husband Jack and Dan Gough as the mysterious detective Rough. Elaine Freeborn plays housekeeper Elizabeth, with Alice Edwards as maid Nancy. Dan Gough also provides fight coordination, while Julien Rosa undertakes intimacy coordination.
With its atmospheric setting, mounting tension, and compelling battle of wills, Gaslight promises an evening that will keep audiences questioning whom, and what, to believe.
Gaslight runs from Monday 2 to Saturday 7 November 2026, with performances at 7.30pm, at the Talisman Theatre, Barrow Road, Kenilworth. Tickets are available now. Book at www.talismantheatre.co.uk or call the Box Office on 01926 856548.
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