ANGEL STREET aka GASLIGHT
Directed by Rachael Lindley
Produced by Richardson Theatre Centre
Accessible Seating: Available
Hearing Devices: Not Available
ASL Performances: N/A
Sensory Friendly Performances: Yes
Production Sound Level: Comfortable
Noises or Visuals to Prepare for: N/A
Running Time: 2 hours 30 minutes plus 15 minute intermission
Moody intense dramas can be hard to watch. RTC’s Angel Street is impossible to look away from. Jack Manningham (Robert San Juan) layers mannerly charm with evil as he controls his wife and the servants in their Victorian house. Rakishly handsome (haven’t we seen that face on the cover of a romance novel?) he alternately delights and terrifies his wife, Bella Manningham (Amy Knoles). Manningham is equal parts Jekyll and Hyde.
Bella is losing her mind, or is she? Knoles uses her body, face and voice to display her fear, joy, confusion and angst as she rides the waves of Manningham’s mercurial mood changes. Knoles’ vulnerability tugs at the heartstrings of Elizabeth, the housekeeper (Leigh Wyatt Moore). Also a victim of Manningham’s moods, Elizabeth is an observant servant capable of navigating his sharp turns. Moore and San Juan have a moment of almost confrontation where they create a tension so thick that any cuts to it would leave razor sharp edges.
Just as Bella’s vulnerability makes her an object of compassion for Elizabeth, it sets her up as an easy target for maid Nancy (Ainsley Horan). Less observant than Elizabeth, Nancy thinks she can handle Manningham. She flirts with him while taunting Bella. Horan has fun with this character, giving us most of the lighter moments in this intense drama.
Inspector Rough (Blair Mitchell) also gives us a few lighter moments when he shows up to help Bella hold on to her sanity and find her strength. Mitchell imbues Rough with the compassionate masculinity necessary to make him the perfect foil for San Juan’s domineering Manningham. Rough’s arrival is the turning point of the play and the moment when we can hope for a non-tragic ending. Light/sound operator Robert Sims gets a brief onstage moment as a Policeman, demonstrating his skill in the spotlight as well as behind it.
RTC’s resident set designer Greg Smith again delivers an impressive set. Deep rich colors, stenciled wallpaper, and elegant furnishings create the living room of a four-storied house in Victorian Philadelphia. The combinations are not only correct for the time period; they visually set the tone for Hamilton’s drama. First written as a play titled Gaslight, it was performed in London in 1938 and renamed Angel Street when it moved to New York City. Two film adaptations were made. The first was British-made & released in 1940 as Gaslight then rereleased in the US in 1952 as Angel Street. The second was released in the US in 1944 as Gaslight, and as Murder in Thornton Square in Great Britain.
Resident Costume Designer Kristin Moore, Sound Designer Rusty Harding, and Lighting Designer Kenneth Hall contributed their talents to the production, with Harding and Moore working as prop masters. San Juan also shared much of his personal art collection to the beauty of the set. RTC also called upon the talents of their summer intern Nathan Roberts, a rising senior at Pepperdine University pursuing a B.A. in Theatre Arts. RTC Artistic Director Rachael Lindley directed this talented group of actors and designers in this impactful production. Kudos.
ANGEL STREET aka GASLIGHT Continues through June 29th at Richardson Theatre Centre, 518 W. Arapaho Road, Richardson. Tickets are available through the RTC website: richardsontheatrecentre.net Performances are Thursdays at 7:30 pm; Fridays & Saturdays at 8 pm; and Sundays at 2 pm. Remember to eat lightly before you go. RTC lays out a yummy assortment at their concessions counter, including popcorn, brownies, cookies, and Nothing Bundt Cakes.
Experience Live Theater!
Glynda Welch
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