HIGH EYEBROW ARCH – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Based on the novel by Susan Hill
Adapted by Stephen Mallatratt
The Dramatic Premise
Arthur Kipps (John Waters) is a dignified, stoic gentleman, haunted by an event from his youth.
He stands in an empty Victorian theatre and begins to read from his manuscript. His voice is robotic and lacking any hint of tonal interest.
Suddenly, a voice rings out from the bank of chairs in the theatre. A young actor (Daniel MacPherson) bounds onto the stage and proceeds to give Kipps notes on his performance. It emerges that Kipps has engaged the young man to help him present a dramatised version of his story to his family and friends.
After some effort, the young actor persuades Kipps to allow him to play the younger version of himself. Meanwhile, Kipps will play each of the other parts.
And so, the rehearsals begin.
And we, in the audience, begin to gain some insight into what continues to haunt Arthur Kipps.
As a young lawyer, Kipps was sent to the remote English town of Crythin Glifford to sort through the private papers of a reclusive widow, Mrs Drablow, who has recently passed away. It is at Mrs Drablow’s funeral, that Kipps first encounters a chilling sight. A woman dressed all in black. Her face wasted away. She’s the embodiment of suffering.
After the funeral, Kipps makes his way to Mrs Drabow’s home at Eel Marsh House, which is only accessible during low tide. He spends the day going through the deceased’s papers and soon realises he will need several days to complete the task due to their volume. Whilst exploring the grounds, Kipps stumbles across a cemetery, where he again experiences a fleeting glimpse of The Woman in Black.
By now, Kipps is understandably unsettled. What ails this creepy apparition? What lies behind the locked door with no apparent keyhole? And what is that rocking sound Kipps can hear within the desolate house?
A Chilling Tale
The Woman in Black is the second longest running production on the West End, following The Mousetrap. The play was performed over thirteen thousand times between 1989 and 2023.
I was fortunate enough to see one of those performances in 2006. I still remember the walk back from the Fortune Theatre to our hotel in Charring Cross. My skin tingled and my heart raced. I squinted my eyes and peered into every shadow along our late-night journey. Were my wife and I now embroiled in the curse? When would The Woman in Black strike?
This performance at Sydney’s Theatre Royal was just as nerve-jangling as the West End version.
There is a scene in the second Act when Kipps is trying to get some sleep. His blanketed body is dimly lit by a soft moon. Minutes pass with no action. No dialogue. The tension mounts. Suddenly, Kipps awakens with a loud gasp. Titters of nervous laughter ripple through the audience. What did Kipps hear? What made him awake with such a start? He dozes back to sleep. And then that rocking sound starts again. Kipps awakens once more. He leaves his bed. He walks cautiously towards the keyhole-less door. He pauses at the threshold and listens. His stance is angular and awkward. His body taunt and tense. Suddenly the door flings open…and Kipps creeps into the secret hallway…
Magnificent Performances
John Waters is outstanding as the older Kipps and in a variety of secondary roles. I expected nothing less. He’s an extraordinary talent.
Daniel MacPherson was, however, a revelation. Unlike Waters, I had no expectations. Yet his charisma was palpable. He played the young actor with a compelling level of charm. And when the young actor played the younger Kipps – in the play within the play – MacPherson was believable in the role. Sitting in the third row, I could sense his burgeoning horror.
Overall, this was a gripping production. The tension on the stage caused my eyebrows to be elevated to a High Arch, throughout, with occasional inflections to a Supreme Arch.
For more information on The Woman in Black.
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