When I told people that I was looking forward to seeing THE WOMAN IN BLACK many people thought I was going to see. ‘The Ladies In Black’ about the David Jones store female staff set in the 1960s.
I also mistakenly believed that THE WOMAN IN BLACK was some gothic novel written in the early 20th century. It was in fact written by Susan Hill in 1983.
When it was proposed that the novel was to be adapted to a play, she collaborated with playwright Stephen Mallatratt to bring her novel to the stage. Little did they know that the play was to run in the West End from 1989 to 2023, making it the second most long running play after Agatha Christie’s ‘The Mousetrap’. Adding to its success it has been performed in 41 countries around the world.
The director Robin Herford set himself a challenge to create a horror fantasy world with a minimum of props. In this he has succeeded admirably.
The scenery such as it is just a large grey curtain hanging from floor to ceiling.
John Waters as Arthur Kipps wishes to tell his personal tale of horror in a narrative that would have taken five hours.
Kipps is persuaded by the producer, just called the Actor, played by Daniel MacPherson, to edit the play which Kipp agrees to, with the Actor in the role of Arthur Kipps.
As a young solicitor the Actor feels he should be in attendance at the funeral of an old client, Mrs Dalbrow.
Needless to say it is held in an inhospitable climate surrounded by treacherous marshes.
Despite the warnings of the various locals the Actor decides to live in the Marsh House, which needless to say is haunted whereupon mayhem ensues. A delicate balance conveyed effectively.
In many ways John Waters has the meatier role. As well as playing the protagonist Waters depicts the various characters the Actor encounters by skilfully switching to various English dialects, many with variety and strong contrast. Like a novelist describing a character Waters is relying on the audience’s imagination when he plays the various characters. I found myself buying in to his daring depictions.
As it is a two hander the actors must use their acting skills to a maximum effort. Accordingly the play has a great deal of humour. This is to counterbalance the terrifying events that are evoked in the later stages of Act 2.
With a minimum of props, Herford must use other ‘stage tricks’. With brilliant varieties of lighting, the lighting designer Kevin Sleep shines through the gray curtain to suggest another room or the lash of wind and lightning on the outside moor whilst the sound designer Sebastian Frost uses sound effects to depict the clip-copping of horse hooves as well as the frightening noises of the classic haunted house.
The mood is so effective that this is almost pantomime of the highest order. My guest kept uttering things to me like, ‘don’t go through that door’, ‘don’t follow those footsteps’, and ‘don’t go towards that light’. In his mind and mine this developed a spooky unease which we felt would result in a ghostly and ghastly crescendo of utter personal catastrophe. In other words, it delivers on the shock and horror promised by the skill and experience of Waters and MacPherson.
It is a cruelly short season and it is well worthwhile braving the cold winter hight to enter in to the warmth of the Theatre Royal to be confronted with a make believe winter of theatrical delights.
THE WOMAN IN BLACK is playing the Theatre Royal until the 17th August 2024.
