The Woman in Black
Adapted by Stephen Mallatratt
From the Novel by Susan Hill
Directed by Robin Herford
At Richmond Theatre 12th – 16th January
And then on tour till 17th July
On a cold frosty night the illuminated façade of Richmond Theatre was a very welcome and warming sight. So to were the gathered scrums of schoolchildren, eager with anticipation as they were allocated their tickets to see this touring production of The Woman in Black. The play is well known, having played and continues to play, in the West End since 1989.
The play itself has set a standard and this production keeps to that standard. The two principal actors, Robert Demeger as Mr Kipps and Peter Bramhill as The Actor are both quite elegantly superb as they unfold the tale of The Woman in Black. The set graces the stage, and the Victorian playhouse that is Richmond Theatre equally graces the play. Robert Demeger of course does have an advantage having been Mr Kipps in the West End. All in all if you a golly good night out and to see a play then this production fits the bill, I would however caution you to book your tickets in advance as I am sure that the houses will be full as it tours around the provinces.
Undoubtedly what makes this play so popular is the attraction of being scared. Hitchcock analyzed it so superbly and practised it so magnificently in his body of work we all like that tingle in our spines and yet, unlike real life, we are safe in our knowledge that no harm will befall us. But, in our modern sophisticated world, our senses have been battered by so much real horror it is difficult for an old fashioned ghost story to scare us and so it is with some skill that this play manages to transcend our guile and manages to send currents of adrenaline coursing through our bodies. It is a beautiful introduction to the world of the theatre for young minds and I do know of many regular theatregoers whose first real play was The Woman in Black.
So what makes The Woman in Black so adapt in managing to bring this story to life. Students of the technique of theatre should note these points. First of all the play starts so humbly and almost in a genteel, apologetic manner. Then the first shock is delivered and then you realise that you the audience are going to be part of this production, the fourth wall is destroyed and you are enveloped into the play. The lighting is used to section the play so that you know when it is story and when it is explanation. Very subtle changes slip you into the story and then the dramatic changes drag you back to the real world in a similar fashion to those waking moments during a scary dream. The sound is anything but subtle and again surrounds you rather than it being delivered in front of you. While this is going on the two actors are busy explaining exactly what is happening and how the illusion is being created so that as the audience gains more information they are pulled more and more into the set and therefore the action of the play. The shocks are delivered in waves and the tide of the horror never fully ebbs before the next roller hits you until, now fully absorbed into the play, the true extent of the horror is revealed to you. Integral to all of this is the whole experience of the play, which here extends to the programme and the credits. The vision is deliberately kept low key even to the extent of almost ignoring the actress, played in this production quite delightfully by Nicole Ashwood. Now all of these things could be regarded as little more than theatrical tricks, but that is the whole point of theatre, where our true belief is suspended for the period of the play and is replaced by an alternative world i.e. the play in order to entertain, inform and educate us.
The Woman in Black is a theatrical experience which is very highly enjoyable; you will love it the first time and grow more appreciative on subsequent viewings as you understand more of the experience. If you take newcomers to the play they will thank you for it and new theatre goers will see a production they will enjoy and hopefully will encourage them to book to see other shows.
Reviewed by Evan Rule
