The Woman in Black

Susan Hill’s ghost story from the late 19^th Century is at the core of this play, cleverly adapted by Stephen Mallatratt. It’s been in the West End for more than three decades and yes it has played Australia before, a production that also saw the charismatic John Waters as Arthur Kipps, a role he is repeating, along with six or eight other characters.

Mallatratt has cleverly used the device of The Actor (Daniel McPherson) playing Kipps as a young man and relating the story from a script, and the now elderly Kipps himself, who has written his fearful story and brought it to the actor to tell.

It works a treat. This two-hander manages to create true tension and atmosphere, both of which were missing in the plodding, reality based 2012 film.  But there’s also a light and deft comic touch in the first 20 minutes or so which endears the two main characters to the audience, as well as helping us relax and laugh out loud before the play changes tone and the emotional stakes are ramped up.

Robin Herford’s original direction is faithfully reproduced by Antony Eden and is impeccable.  Whilst I wasn’t enamoured with Michael Holt’s set design, apart from the raked stage which brought back memories of childhood, lighting and sound were excellent, and the few appearances by the ghost herself had the desired shock impact.

But it is the acting which guarantees the success of this new production. Daniel McPherson is excellent as The Actor; full of self-aggrandisement and just slightly supercilious, he brings a wonderful subtlety to the role, while slipping seamlessly into the role of Kipps as a young man, who shares some of the some of the same personality traits. He has a lovely light touch with the comedy in the early scenes and he almost holds his own with John Waters as Kipps the Elder. I say almost, because the charismatic Waters gives the performances of his life as the broken Kipps who (we realise at the end in a very clever end twist by Mallatratt) has lost so much. His portrayal of Kipps would be enough to satisfy any audience, but add to this his playing of all the minor characters - six or eight of them (I lost count).  Not only does Waters change his stance, his walk, his demeanour for each of the minor characters, but he manages to change his voice and create a number of different Yorkshire accents in the process.

When you have a strong script and two fine actors at the top of their game, you have an absolute winner.

Is it really a horror story? Not by today’s standards because we are so desensitised to horror on so many levels. There are a few shock moments which the audience truly appreciates, but that’s not the point. The point is the overall excellence of the production and that is thanks to the wonder-boy producers Alex Woodman and Neil Gooding.

It won’t scare you, but it will provide a spectacular night of Rip-roaring, rollicking entertainment. And you can’t ask for more than that.

Coral Drouyn

Photographer: Justin Nicholas.

Read Coral Drouyn's interview with John Waters in the May / June edition of Stage Whispers

See The Woman in Black on tour:

Brisbane – Playhouse QPAC - 30 April -11 May

Adelaide – Dunstan Playhouse - 15 – 26 May

Perth – His Majesty’s Theatre – 30 May – 9 June

Melbourne - Athenaeum Theatre - From 13^th June

Canberra Theatre Centre - 9 - 14 July

Wollongong - IPAC – 17 -21 July

Newcastle - Civic Theatre – 23 -27 July

Sydney - Theatre Royal - 30 July – 18 August

thewomaninblack.com.au