'The Woman in Black' review - by Martin Cater

Playwright: Steven Mallatratt

Author: Susan Hill

Director: Robin Herford

Actors: David Acton (Arthur Kipps)

Ben Deery (The Actor)

As the second longest serving theatre production in the West End, ‘The Woman in Black’ should by now be considered old hat. However, the play has sustained astonishing longevity on merit alone as it is utterly gripping. What separates ‘The Woman in Black’ from other behemoths of the West End is a reliance on intelligent plot without the need for spontaneous song and dance.

Praise is due to Stephen Mallatratt for encapsulating the essence of Susan Hill’s novel and wrenching the horror of Eel Marsh House on to the stage of a London theatre. The story focuses on a timid man, Arthur Kipps, who is incessant on retelling his “real” ghost story whilst another character - playing the role of an actor - attempts to persuade him to perform the yarn as a theatrical display. After agreeing the actor assigns himself the role of a solicitor sent to assess the finances of the recently deceased Alice Drablow. As the script gathers momentum the actor and audience learn more of the haunting presence, its reason for being, and its curse.

The cast is meagrely comprised of two actors - currently David Acton and Ben Deery - and of course the woman in black herself; this more than suffices though, adding intimacy into an eerie story which roots lay with a lone woman and her possessed house.  

Common elements of generic horror tales such as: the haunted house, ghosts, and dramatic pauses are all applied to perfection. Although such genre traits are often overused and have been obliterated in various examples of modern film and literature, none can produce the same effect on its audience – reducing even the staunchest thriller enthusiast to quivering sweats.      

On the night I attended, viewers squealed in fright and gasped in disgust; people were edging off their seats to get a closer glimpse of the woman in black only to be repelled back in terror. The fortune theatre is a small venue with dark cramped hallways and makes the perfect setting for this eerie tale to unfold.  Do not be dissuaded from entering those who are fearful or doubt the horror genre otherwise you will miss one of the finest thrillers possible to witness.   

      

Higher praise could not be given to the script, cast and production but refrain from buying me another ticket for I fear my nerves would not sustain another viewing… 

www.thewomaninblack.com

Review: The Woman in Black by Almass Badat

                                                                                                                                                                          


Steve Mallatratt- Playwright
Robin Herford- Director
Micheal Holt- Desginer
David Acton- Arthur Kipps
Ben Deery- The Actor (young Arthur Kipps)

Since its opening night at the Fortune theatre in 1989, Stephen Mallatratt’s adaptation ofThe Woman in Black has firmly taken up residence in the heart of London’s West End. Over 5000 performances later, David Acton dons the role of Arthur Kipps in the latest run of performances based on Susan Hill’s 1983 ghost novel.

The story follows Arthur Kipps, who travels to the small, isolated town of Crythin Gifford to be present at the funeral of his senior solicitor’s client, Mrs Drablow. Whilst attending the funeral, Kipps sees a young woman dressed in black with a wasted face, standing amongst the graves.
Arthur goes to Mrs Drablow’s former residence, Eel Marsh House despite the obvious discomfort expressed by the town’s people. Situated in the middle of a marsh, the house is cut off at high tide. Stuck in the Drablow residence, Arthur begins his task of sorting through Mrs Drablow's papers. As he finds a box of personal letters, he discovers the ghastly secret of the Woman in Black – as his own terrible price. 

Mallatratt’s adaptation remains true to the novel’s plot, with the added element of a play within a play. Cleverly, this framing device excuses the need for elaborate set design and special effects. Simplicity is the key, as the actors urge the audience to engage in their imagination as Herford presents sound clips to create a sense of time, space and atmosphere. As Mallatratt himself said, “It takes so little to create a whole world!” As the production has very little real violence, it can be a little disappointing for the younger viewer, who may be expecting the play to rival the terrifically interactive London Dungeons.  

Being a novel before any other medium, The Woman in Black exercises the use of language as a stimulant and the core of the production. As the curtain goes up, the audience sit in suspense as Kipps’ opening lines encourage a few nervous chuckles. His unease mirrors ours. Ben Deery who plays the young Arthur Kipps enters, seemingly oblivious to the horror beneath Kipps’ anxiety, and as the light conversation develops, so does the sense of foreboding. 

The Woman of the title is a little disappointing as only once she glides through the theatre, and this is before she has been introduced to the audience.  On numerous occasions the auditorium fills with smoke, but the expected climax is non-existent.  However, both Acton and Deery’s techniques do not disappoint. Acton’s transformation into Kipps is delightful, whilst Deery’s thirst for the effective storytelling works perfectly with Herford’s intentions to produce a play with an impact.

If the play doesn’t satisfy your need to be scared witless, Hammer Film Productions bring The Woman in Black starring Daniel Radcliffe and written by Jane Goldman (Kick Ass, X-Men: First Class) to your nearest cinema in 2012.

For more information on the play and tickets, follow the link below:

http://www.thewomaninblack.com/