ONE of UK theatre’s most famous ghost stories, The Woman in Black, has returned to Bath for the 11th time since 1989 and it’s sure to have you gripping the arms on your seat.
Stephen Mallatratt’s thrilling stage adaptation of Susan Hill’s chilling novel visits the Theatre Royal Bath to Saturday, March 16 as part of a nationwide UK tour, starring Malcolm James as Arthur Kipps and Mark Hawkins as The Actor.
A long-time favourite with Bath audiences, The Woman in Black is directed by Robin Herford, with designs by Michael Holt and lighting by Kevin Sleep.
Obsessed with a curse that he believes has been cast over him and his family by the spectre of a ‘Woman in Black’, lawyer Arthur Kipps engages a sceptical young actor to help him tell his story and exorcise the fear that grips his soul.
It begins innocently enough, as the two men act out the solicitor’s experiences on Eel Marsh all those years ago.
But as they reach further into his darkest memories, they find themselves caught up in a world of eerie marshes, moaning winds and tragic secrets and the border between make-believe and reality blurs.
The plot is simple: Kipps, a young solicitor, is sent to a remote village in the North of England, to sort through the documents of Mrs Alice Drablow, the owner of Eel Marsh House, following her death.
When the tide comes in, the spooky and remote house in the middle of the marshes is cut off from the local village.
Strange things happen in the house, where Kipps uncovers evidence of a child born out of wedlock to Jennet, taken away from her, and brought up with little contact with its biological mother.
The child is killed in a tragic accident after being thrown off a pony and trap in the marsh mists and Jennet’s ghost later claims the lives of village children in penance for her own son being taken from her.
There are exceptional performances from Malcolm James, who reprises the role of Arthur Kipps having previously performed in the play on tour in the UK and in the West End, while Mark Hawkins first played The Actor in The Woman in Black at the Fortune Theatre in the West End and at The Madinat Theatre.
Stephen Mallatratt’s ingenious adaptation for the stage remains entirely true to the book itself. He uses much of Susan Hill’s own descriptive writing and dialogue, while transforming the novel into a totally gripping piece of theatre that will send shred your nerves and send shivers up your spine.
After a slow start, with one or two spine-chilling moments in Act One, the action picks up after the interval and the last 30 minutes will leave you almost in a state of shock.
The tension ratchets up with the sounds of a pony and trap clip-clopping along one of the marsh tracks and a child in a rocking chair adding to the suspense.
The dark set is sparse, with only curtains, a chair, a wicker basket and a rail full of clothes for the actors to don as and when needed.
Behind a flimsy curtain, the audience can see a child’s nursery, complete with bed, cupboard and rocking chair, with a night light on a bedside table.
The clever use of candlelight, shadows and darkness, and stagecraft enables the actors and director to keep the audience on edge of their seats throughout. I loved it.
The Woman in Black appears at the Theatre Royal Bath to Saturday, March 16. To book tickets contact the Theatre Royal Bath Box Office on 01225 448844 or visit theatreroyal.org.uk
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