The Woman in Black
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On Friday, November 15th in London’s Fortune Theatre on Russell Street, a spectacular performance of ‘The Woman in Black’ was enjoyed by a group of students from Charles Thorp Secondary School. The play was an adaptation of the book written in 1983 by the talented Yorkshire-born Authoress, Susan Hill.
It was an extremely intimate performance, where the actors obviously laboured for hours to make their performances perfect. The small theatre offers the audience an experience with the actors that you would not receive at a larger theatre. The play is made up of only three people – Ken Drury as Arthur Kipps, Adam Best as The Actor and the unnamed Woman in Black herself.
A gripping performance shows a junior solicitor who goes by the name of Arthur Kipps, being summoned to the funeral of Mrs Alice Drablow who lives on a deserted island with her deserted home mysteriously named Eel Marsh House. Kipps saw things at the house, things that terrified him so much he was plagued by his worries, seeking help from an Actor. This was the only soul he spoke to regarding the incident and they take the audience through the moving story of the Gothic novel adaptation.
If the stage presence wasn’t intimate enough, the audience sees The Woman in Black herself pass through the floor seats and onto the stage. Her movements so very delicate and sophisticated, especially for a deep, dark character like her.
The play offers theatre-goers a performance that has them so tense, half of them leave the theatre with pulled muscles. A definite must see.