Tomorrow is opening night of Gaslight at Formby Little Theatre.
While I am absolutely gutted to no longer be in the cast, health comes first and I know it’s going to a great show which I can’t wait to see. Limited tickets are still available and it’s well worth booking your seat before they sell out!
Even though I did have to give up my role in the play, I have still (in the tradition of all my plays over the last decade), written a poem (loosely?) inspired by the piece. The first draft of this was actually written at Broken Spine’s Write the Night workshop which was a great opportunity to think about verse in a different way.
In it, we meet a modern-day Bella, whose partner is as vile as the original.
I hope you enjoy it.
Bella in a late-night pharmacy
buying the morning-after pill
he wants a baby
but she would never allow him
to be in control
of one so vulnerable
Cut to
Bella in a theatre
auditioning to bring Mrs Mannigham to life
bit close to home ain’t it
her friends said
mocking
smirking
eyebrows raised she sees herself in the prop mirror
blurred
by greasepaint and stagelight
Cut to
Bella hurtling through the streets
his wrath increases
with every minute
that
she’s
late
Cut to
close up of a streetlight
that doesn’t fade
doesn’t dim
nowhere to hide
no darkness to envelop in
he sees her
always
in control
of one so vulnerable
This poem is free to read but if you would like to support my work, you can buy me a hot chocolate. Sign up to my newsletter to receive the latest news and events.