Review: 'Deceived,' at Bay Street, Tells an Old Tale With a New Spin on Modern Themes

When it comes to a mystery on stage or screen, no one wants to be spoiled as to how it’s solved before they’ve had their chance to play detective.

So, to audiences walking into Bay Street’s latest production, “Deceived,” no spoilers, but be forewarned: “Question everything.”

In an age wrought with mis- and disinformation, the importance of critical thinking and asking questions is at an all-time high. The media landscape in 2025 is a constant barrage of fear-mongering and information control, and one must choose carefully how one interacts with what he or she is being told. That’s one reason why “Deceived,” Johnna Wright and Patty Jamieson’s adaptation of Patrick Hamilton’s 1938 play “Gas Light,” feels particularly timely.

But it’s not just political — the story also finds relevance in its story of female empowerment.

At first glance, the adaptation appears to stay faithful to its source material, employing roughly the same cast of characters and taking place during the same time period as Hamilton’s “Gas Light,” which was made into a movie, as “Gaslight,” twice, a British production in 1940, and a George Cukor version in 1944, with Ingrid Bergman.

Newlyweds Bella and Jack Manningham have moved into a house previously owned by a woman named Alice Barlow, who was murdered for her money. Specifically, for her jewels.

As time goes on, Bella grows more and more on edge in the house — Jack leaves at odd hours to do undefined “work” at his club, and every time Bella is alone she hears things being moved around in the attic, which is full of Alice Barlow’s belongings.

In those moments, the gas-lit chandelier in the living room dims slightly, she swears.

The two maids of the house, Elizabeth and Nancy, apparently don’t hear what she’s hearing, or see what she’s seeing, whether that be due to Elizabeth’s hearing loss or Nancy’s general lack of care for anyone but herself.

Bella tries to confide in her husband, but his patience wears thin, and he starts to consider institutionalizing Bella so she can get help for her “delusions,” just like her mother.

Without any notable differences in time or place, one might ask: Why adapt this story if nothing will be changed? What does this add to the conversation?

Remember: “Question everything.”

Even audience members who have seen the original play, or the movie adaptations, are in for some surprises.

Without giving too much away, the story ultimately departs from its source material. For one, “Deceived” omits the character of Mr. Rough, the police inspector, which leaves Bella to solve the mystery on her own.

In the introduction to “Deceived,” Wright and Jamieson write: “Bella does a lot of listening in [‘Gas Light’] but doesn’t have the opportunity to take much action.”

“Deceived” hands Bella the reins and tasks her with finding the strength to save herself, and the other women around her, from a cruel fate without the help of a man. The question becomes: Can she achieve that before it’s too late?

The production, boldly directed by Sheryl Kaller, is vivid and highly stylized. Audiences expecting a realistic thriller should rather look for nods to the theatrical traditions of expressionism and melodrama, mixed with drawing-room comedy and the opulence of the Gothic, to appreciate the full experience.

The scenic design, by Jason Ardizzone-West, is appropriately unsettling. The stage itself is lifted, creating a spectral floating effect. Upon it, Jack and Bella’s Victorian living room features a desk, tea table, love seat, credenza — and, of course, various gas lights. Behind them, there is a haunting space where a portrait should be, and a mysterious flight of stairs.

The lighting, designed by Reza Behjat, is moody throughout, but never sparse. Its most prominent feature is a large ceiling box that mirrors the shape of the floating stage. The use of footlights, a practical chandelier, and handheld gas lamps highlight the period and keep the room bathed in an eerie glow.

The combined effect is simple but powerful, and it makes for a claustrophobic atmosphere. It’s almost as if the characters are trapped in a dollhouse (or a snowglobe, perhaps?), and the audience is looking in, a particularly apt feeling for a story about entrapment intended to make one’s skin crawl.

Jane Shaw, the sound designer, has composed original music for the production, while also employing contemporary songs like Fiona Apple’s “I Want You To Love Me,” Billie Eilish’s “Lost Cause,” and Patsy Cline’s “Crazy” as transition music.

Merging the music of this century with the attitudes and aesthetic of 1901 is yet another way that this production maintains relevance in 2025, creating a cognitive dissonance that adds to the psychological thriller aspect of the show. The inclusion of modern music from powerful female artists is also a subtle comment on Bella’s journey. Manipulation, gaslighting and fear-mongering are tactics that have been used against women for millennia, and they remain a factor in unsafe relationships, romantic or otherwise.

The performances by leading actors Olivia Cygan (Bella) and Sam Gravitte (Jack) are magnetic and compelling. Under the glow of the ceiling light, Cygan’s mastery of micro-expression is on full display. Cygan is not afraid to be vulnerable, and she carries Bella’s mix of desperation and intelligence with grace and poise, yet she bravely lets loose when the time comes. Her knowledge of and passion for the craft allow her to light up on stage, and she is a joy to watch.

Gravitte’s portrayal of Jack is entirely persuasive. He plays the doting husband almost too well — convincing not only the other characters but also the audience of his seemingly pure and loving intentions toward his wife. One is almost tempted to empathize with him. He walks the fine line between keeping it together and nearly breaking down with precision, and his performance is a study in double-identity.

Mary Bacon (Elizabeth) and Briana Carlson-Goodman (Nancy) provide comic relief and heartening female perspective through equally solid performances, and audiences will find themselves rooting for the camaraderie and blooming friendship between Bacon and Cygan’s characters.

In an age where “truth” is growing harder to determine, and women’s voices and choices are often stripped away, it feels more important than ever to tell stories that reclaim feminine power. “Deceived” is not just an adaptation of a classic, spine-chilling mystery, it’s a cautionary tale. Wright and Jamieson take Hamilton’s male-centered drama and flip it on its head, reframing the story as one of female triumph.

Perhaps, then, the way to solve this mystery is twofold: Question everything — and never underestimate the women at the helm.

“Deceived,” a new adaptation of the classic psychological thriller “Gas Light” by Patrick Hamilton, will run through July 20 at Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor. No show on July 4. For times and ticket information, visit baystreet.org.