Psychological Thriller on Tap at Novato Theater Co.

The 1944 film “Gaslight” featured Ingrid Bergman as a wife mentally ravaged by her much older husband who turns out to be … well, let’s not give it away.

Starting Thursday, the Novato Theater Company is presenting the psychological thriller “Angel Street” through March 13 at its in Ignacio as its next production.

In the play, a young naïve woman is terrorized by her husband — played by Charles Boyer in the film version — and she begins to doubt her sanity. British playwright Patrick Hamilton wrote the play in 1938 and named it after the location of the residence in the play, in London’s Pimlico district. The play debuted on Broadway in 1941 — with Vincent Price in the cast — and had revivals in 1948 and 1975.

On the big screen, “Gaslight” was nominated for seven Oscars. Bergman won for Best Actress and the film won for best art direction and set design.

The play and film gave rise to the term “gas-lighting,” meaning ruthlessly manipulating an individual into believing something other than the truth. For some reason, the expression didn’t become widely used until the 1970s.

“Angel Street,” directed by Ron Nash, features Tim Biglow of Brentwood as Rough; Ron Dailey of Novato as Jack Manningham; Elizabeth Katona of San Rafael as Nancy; Clara Lamers of San Rafael as Elizabeth; and Kate Savage of Novato as Bella Manningham. Brenda Weidner and Michele Cronin are serving as co-producers.

Shows will be Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 3 p.m. Tickets are $22 for adults, $20 for seniors and students. The preview performance on Feb. 17 is $12.

All shows are at the Novato Theater Company Playhouse, 484 Ignacio Blvd., in the Pacheco Plaza shopping center. Tickets are available at www.novatotheatercompany.org or by calling 415-883-4498. All seats are reserved.