The play that coined the phrase - Gaslight - comes to Ilkley Playhouse

Gaslight opens on 15th January at Ilkley Playhouse

Ilkley Playhouse's first production of 2026 is Patrick Hamilton’s psychological thriller, Gaslight.

Opening on Thursday 15th January in the Wharfeside Theatre, the play is set in Victorian London and follows the Manninghams, a well-to-do couple living in a large house.

Jack Manningham is an overbearing bully, while Bella Manningham is living on her nerves for fear of offending her husband.  Jack is convinced that, like her mother before her, his wife is succumbing to mental illness and Bella is terrified that he may be right.

Jack manipulates and undermines his wife, his temper is constantly fluctuating; he dismisses and belittles her, and, by turning the lights on and off, starts to make her think she is going mad.

In Patrick Hamilton’s atmospheric play, which gave us the term ‘to gaslight’ to describe coercive control, Bella struggles to understand her husband’s abusive behaviour towards her – until one evening, while her husband is out, a stranger arrives asking to speak with her.

Running from 15th to 24th January [exc. 18th] with shows starting at 7.30pm, with a 2.30pm show on Saturday 17th January, Gaslight promises to provide an evening of suspense and edge-of-your-seat drama – perfect for a dark winter’s night.

Tickets are available via the Ilkley Playhouse website ilkleyplayhouse.co.uk or from the Box Office, 01943 609539.