This play is one of the most successful ghostly thrillers ever written and, as was seen at Liverpool Playhouse, continues to be performed to packed houses. ‘The Woman In Black’ also has the distinction of being possibly the most widely used choice for drama teachers to take students to as a first introduction to theatre. It is hard to pinpoint exactly why some works just seem to work so much better than others, but a number of aspects of this play clearly stand out.
‘The Woman In Black’ is more than a ghost story. It is an intense study of changing interactions between just two men; a device used successfully in other great but very different works such as ‘Waiting For Godot’ by Samuel Becket and ‘Sleuth’ by Anthony Shaffer. The audience is effectively taken on two journeys, as both the plot and the two characters develop; a much more intensive experience than being presented with a large cast.
For lovers of stagecraft, the play is intriguing because it combines a conventional set with minimalism and to work well requires both good lighting and sound effects. It is not hard to see why this can be a good introduction to anyone whose view of theatre is just actors speaking on a stage. The production at Liverpool Playhouse used both these concepts to excellent effect with a fairly simple but effective front set, giving the impression of the backstage of a theatre and a sophisticated rear-set behind a screen (including a landing and stairs) only visible in the most tense and dramatic scenes. This enabled the audience to be transported back and forth quickly between an innocuous theatre room and a terrifying haunted house. This also meant that the tension could be instantly turned on and off, something only achievable with both sufficient build-up and precise timing.
There is no wasteful dialogue in ‘The Woman In Black’. The tight script unfolds a story starting with a gentle beginning, progressively developing into a tense, frightening scenario. Basic elements such as lights going out, sudden screams or a door that won’t open can seem cheap or even ridiculous if not properly handled and given sufficient context, but with this play and certainly this performance, no judgement was needed. The frequent, spontaneous gasps and cries from the audience were sufficient proof that everything that had been carefully worked out was working very well indeed.
There was a convincing stage relationship between Malcolm James as the lawyer, Arthur Cripps and Mark Hawkins as the actor. The confident boldness of the younger man juxtaposed to the hesitant, uncertainty of his older pupil given a firm foundation, soon turned on its head as the pair effectively swopped roles.
With actor telling Cripps’s story, Malcolm James played a number of supporting actors with some great characterisations, notably a rustic horse-and-trap driver and a rural funeral director; a great object lesson to those new to theatre in what an actor can convincingly achieve with minimal props. In the case of Mark Hawkins, there was a superb transformation from an assertive, headstrong young man to a fellow virtually terrified out of his wits. The ghost was not a playful spectre of the ‘Blithe Spirit’ variety but had real malevolent intent and this was made very real.
There was an almost spontaneous standing ovation on all three levels of the Playhouse with rapturous applause. There was also an unusually large amount of chat as the audience left the theatre, recounting their various reactions to the shocks and frights throughout the play. A great night at the theatre.
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