Review: The Woman in Black, The Playhouse Liverpool

“The chills are very clever and well crafted.”

The Woman in Black by Susan Hill adapted by Stephen Mallatratt, The Playhouse, Liverpool

By Ken Powell

‘Tis the season for spookin’ in Liverpool right now, with an interesting adaptation of Susan Hill’s 1983 classic chiller, The Woman in Black. The play follows closely the plot of the novel only with the change of the main character, Mr Kipps (played by Malcolm James), now using an unnamed actor (played by Mark Hawkins) to help him tell his story from long ago. This production, believe it or not, is the second longest-running play in the West End. Judging by the reaction of the audience in Liverpool, I can see why.

The story tells of a young lawyer, Arthur Kipps, who is sent to attend the funeral of Mrs Alice Drablow and sort out her papers in her desolate and secluded Eel Marsh House where she lived alone to many years. Unsurprisingly, Kipps finds himself not alone in this eerie house and uncovers a tragic tale that will come back, literally, to haunt him.  

The publicity for the show promises a spinechilling production and it is certainly true the play gives you plenty of jump scares. Yet. in the classic tradition of a gothic horror, less is more, and you never see anything in any way truly horrifiying. The horror is very much left to the audience’s imagination, with some judicious sightings of the titular ‘woman in black’ to help, of course.

The result is almost minimalist as this two-hander (plus ghost) is played out by the two characters ‘playing’ various parts as they prepare for a ‘telling’ to show to My Kipps family and friends. Much is left to imagination, including a dog, Spider, who makes itself known despite being entirely imaginary.

While those of a nervous disposition should probably avoid this production then, it isn’t a dark a foreboding tale. Indeed, parts are quite humorous and I guffawed more than a few times along the way. I’m not entirely sure how wise it was to introduce such moments of comedy when you’re trying to build up suspense, but it didn’t seem to detract the scares when they came.

Personally, I found the beginning a little too long to get started. There was a great deal of explanatory material before anything really began to happen. The whole show is only two hours long, but felt longer, to be honest. Some of this was because of the confused incorporating of the novel’s original ‘introduction’ along with the new one added here. One or the other would have sufficed. It was also never really made clear why the townspeople are so frightened of the house and the spectre that haunts it. Inferences are made, but they are easy to miss.

I’m not one who tends to jump at scary moments, but I did enjoy watching swathes of the audience leap from their seats. If you’re a gothic horror fan, you will be delighted by how the stage setting is used to make the scary moments. The chills are very clever and well crafted. The audience were certainly very appreciative of the efforts.

Both actors do an admirable job, never confusing the audience as they swap roles at various points. The whole production has a ‘Dickensian’ feel to it (I half expected Jacob Marley, complete with chains, to appear at times) and Malcolm James is particularly suited to this kind of tale. Mark Hawkins, as both ‘The Actor’ himself and the younger Mr Kipps he portrays, succeeded in making me feel sorry for both characters as the story progresses and the inevitable ending nears.

So, for a thrill and shock or two this Christmas, if that’s the kind of thing that gets you in the festive spirit, The Woman in Black is an ideal match for something a little different. It is spinechilling fun for all gothic fans. Or just go for the sport of watching adults leap from their seats in fear.

The Woman in Black is showing at Liverpool Playhouse until Saturday 30 Dec 2023. To find out more call the Box Office on 0151 709 4776  or visit everymanplayhouse.com.