Theatre Review: The Woman in Black

There are few plays where it is acceptable to scream in the theatre; The Woman in Black is one of them.

A curtain, a box, a hat stand. For the linguistically dexterous and vividly beautiful descriptions of the original book by Susan Hill, the set is sparse. There is nothing to suggest the bustling streets of London which young and naïve Arthur Kipps (Malcolm James) navigates in a thick pea-souper, much less the glistening expanse of the causeway leading to the house which comes to dictate his fears for the rest of his life.

But this is no cause for concern, for this is a production of the imagination. In the hands of Malcolm James and Mark Hawkins, the whole world of Crythin Gifford comes to life. The sensation of a rolling train is seamlessly executed: I had no doubt for a moment that, from the weighting shift of their bodies and the astute movement of their limbs, these two men were on a steam train heading for the north east. It takes a considerable amount of effort to step out of the world of the play and see simply two men sitting on a box.

This is a production of the imagination

Arguably this is what the production does best: it does not rely on spectacles of blood or ghostly horror, but instead uses the same ingenuity of words and imagination to recreate the palpable tension of Hill’s spectacular novel.

If you are confused, lost, or perhaps even bored in the first few minutes of the play, you are probably not alone. In a departure from the original, the play sets up Arthur’s story as a man attempting to perform his own life in order to exorcise his ghosts. We see him painstakingly, and at times hilariously, trying to change his intonation to inflect a little more enthusiasm into the telling of his story. As the acting coach (Mark Hawkins) becomes Arthur’s younger self, however, the production transitions smoothly into the narrative itself. And – without spoilers – the framing of this narrative comes to be perhaps the most brilliant framing any director could have devised for this story.

Sound haunts the corners of this production in a truly powerful and astounding way

It is impossible to review The Woman in Black without noting the judicious use of sound and lighting. From traffic to birdsong, to the slamming of doors and the eerie note of a child’s music box, sound haunts the corners of this production in a truly powerful and astounding way. Kevin Sleep’s fantastic lighting design makes people jump out of their seats and sends chills rippling through the auditorium.

This is a terrifying, masterful story of ghosts, grief, wasted landscapes, and events that follow you for the rest of your life. There is no doubt as to why this story of intense malice and loss has become the second-longest running theatre production in the UK. It is a delight, a horror, and a feast for the imagination. You will be immersed in the screams of the past – and perhaps the screams of the audience too.

You certainly won’t be listening to children’s music boxes for several months…