Gas Light

Everyone should read this short short play. One of the best of all time, quite unsung, and a now hugely relevant part of our era. Also, from the perspective of anyone who has gone through prolonged abuse, absolutely satisfying and literally like therapy (albeit, also triggering, though because of the intent of the play, not nearly as triggering as unintentionally traumatic content).

This is a play that has long been on my TBR, but I had difficulty tracking down a copy. It is the play from where the term gaslighting originates for obvious reasons. I’m glad I finally read it because it was indeed very good.
The MC is a youngish married woman who seems to be losing her mind, or at least that is what her husband says. Items have gone mysteriously missing. Pictures are removed from walls. Lights go up and down on their own and, according to him, it is all her fault. At the end of Act I, the husband storms out of the house threatening to put her in an asylum.

Act II introduces us to a retired inspector who has long desired to catch a murderer that had got away while he was yet a rookie on the force. He reveals that he show more suspects the husband of being this killer came back to the house where his crime took place to find a cache of hidden rubies that eluded him so many years ago. He also reveals that the marriage is illegitimate as the man already has a wife and that he believes the man is intentionally trying to make the wife think she is crazy through emotional manipulation in order to put her away.

Act II concludes with … well I guess you’ll have to read or see the play for yourself to find out. But I will say, I very much enjoyed the ending. show less