reviewvancouver: The Woman in Black

Imagine, if you would, a dark and sinister mansion set in the meandering hillocks of northern England… a remote village with a gruesome pall cast over it, dour locals and a fool-hardy if intrepid solicitor; forget not the forlorn spirits borne out of tragedy!

In essence, this is the scenery that the actors in The Woman in Black attempt bring to the theatre floor, and in turn, the audience. Through use of exposition, choice sound tracks, simple props, and well worn characters, they tell the story of Mr. Kipps – the long suffering solicitor. Aiding him is the man who assumes the persona of a younger Mr. Kipps in order to help him tell his story, known only as “Actor”.

The play begins with the two men working together to sort out Mr. Kipps tale of a malignant spectre that vexes him to this very day. Acting out his manuscript, the two men virtually step back in time to a different world.
Travelling from London to the far flung town of Crythin Gifford in order to attend the funeral of a client, as well as deal with her outstanding paperwork, Mr. Kipps finds out that there is more to the old widow’s estate (Eel Marsh House) than paperwork and a musty smelling mansion.

As Kipps works through his appointed duties, he is troubled by an ever escalating series of paranormal encounters that shake his very beliefs to the core. Barely escaping with his life and certainly with a hair raising tale to tell, Mr. Kipps leaves behind Eel Marsh and turns his back on the whole horrifying affair.

Unfortunately, ghosts are not always so forgiving…

The performance was well paced and enjoyable, particularly the special attention given to the nuances of each and every character used to advance the story. The cast and crew managed to bring the story to life, although the audience must indulge them a bit with imagination – something they request of the audience rather subtly in the beginning. The more that you lend to the play, the more you will get out of it.

The run time came in at just over 2 hours, which included a 15 minute break to stretch your legs. The seating fills up fast and is a bit cramped, so it’s recommended that you arrive early enough to pick up choice seating. There are numerous blackouts and loud noises, so this play may not be suitable for small children or people easily disturbed by things that go bump in the night…