REVIEW: The Woman in Black

Having never seen the film or stage version of the chilling ghost story, I was blissfully unaware of what was to come.

After taking my seat it didn’t take long for me to pick up on what was a nervous atmosphere with some audience members obviously half knowing what to expect.

Stephen Mallatratt’s adaptation of the Susan Hill novel tells a story within a story and both David Acton as Arthur Kipps and Matthew Spencer as The Actor are fantastic.

It’s really only now, sitting to write a review, that it’s occurred to me that the whole play is perfomred by just two (and a half) people.

Both men are excellent throughout and are especially good at putting the audience at ease right in time for the next twist.

The actor is employed to help Arthur Kipps, a lawyer, tell the story of a curse he believes he is under following an assignment in his earlier years. The plan is to tell his family and friends the eerie secrets of his past in a bid exorcise his fear and rid himself of the curse.

The simple set is so effective at setting a variety of scenes and the sound effects perfectly compliment the on stage action.

If you scare easily, don’t shy away, although the play is jumpy and nervy throughout it is funny too and the audience’s need to release regularly resulted in rings of nervous laughter.

With twists and turns until the end this is a must see whether you’ve seen it before or not.

The Woman in Black is at the Theatre Royal Nottingham until Saturday February 25. Visit www.trch.co.uk.