Go to content

Woman in Black (UK Tour) - Greasepaint and Stage Lights - Theatre Radio Show

Broadcasting on  Countywide Radio - Mondays at 4pm Acacia Radio - Mondays 9pm Affinity Radio - Mondays at 11pm Cirencester - Tuesdays at 2pm HWD Radio - Tuesdays at 6pm Forest FM - Tuesdays at 7pm South Devon Sound - Wednesdays at 11pm Cabin FM - Wednesdays at 6pm JHR Radio - Thursdays at 12pm Drystone Radio - Thursday at 12pm Islands FM - Thursdays at 8pm Red Road FM - Thursdays at 9pm Radio Hillingdon - Thursday at 9pm Sounds of Broadway - Various USA times South Devon Sounds - Fridays at 2pm Dover Radio - Saturdays at 2pm Elastic FM - Sundays 2pm Crystal Radio - Saturday at 5pm Cabin Fm - Saturdays at 5pm Image Radio - Saturdays 6pm Coast and County - Sundays at 9am Whaley Radio - Sundays at 10am Arrowesound - Sundays at 10am Barts Radio - Sundays at 11am West Norfolk Radio - Sundays 12 Noon KGH Radio - Sundays at 2pm Hereford Radio - Sundays 2pm West Surrey Radio - Sundays 2pm Humberwave Radio - Sundays 5pm Chiltern Voice - Sundays at 5pm Islands FM - Sundays at 6pm Canalside FM - Sundays at 6pm Beverley FM - Sundays at 6pm 3T FM - Sundays at 6pm Ribble Radio - Sundays at 6pm Meridian FM - Sundays at 7pm L35 Online Radio - Sundays at 8pm Guernsey Radio - Sundays at 9pm The Beat of South Texas - Various Times Phantom Radio - Sundays - 6pm West Wiltshire Radio - Sundays at 11am Conquest Radio - Sundays at 9am West Norfolk Radio - Sundays 12noon Shire Extra - Sundays 10am Swindon HBO - Sundays at 2pm Veteran Radio - Sundays at 2pm Beacon Radio - Sundays at 3pm Chiltern Radio - Sundays at 3pm County Sound - Sundays at 3pm ABC Radio - Sundays at 4pm Derwent Sound - Sundays at 3pm Hereward Sound - Sundays at 3pm Invicta Sound - Sundays at 3pm K-CBC - Sundays at 3pm Leicester Sound - Sundays at 3pm Marcher Sound - Sundays at 3pm Mercia Sound - Sundays at 3pm Penine Sound - Sundays at 3pm Radio Broadland - Sundays at 3pm Radio Hallam - Sundays at 3pm Radio Mercury - Sundays at 3pm Radio Victory - Sundays at 3pm Radio West - Sundays at 3pm Saxon Radio - Sundays at 3pm Souther Sound Radio - Sundays at 3pm Swansea Sound - Sundays at 3pm

Access menu ->
Skip menu

Broadcasting on  Radio Hillingdon - Thursday at 9pm Countywide Radio - Mondays at 4pm Coast & County - 97.4 - Mondays at 11pm Carillon Wellbeing Radio - Tuesdays at 5pm Cirencester HBO - Tuesdays at 7pm Forest FM - 92.3 - Tuesdays at 7pm UK Radio Network - Tuesday at 9pm Cabin FM 96.4FM - Wednesdays at 6pm Hastings Radio - Wednesdays at 9pm South Devon Sound - Wednesdays at 11pm JHR Radio - Thursdays at 12pm Drystone Radio 103.5 - Thursday at 12pm Red Road FM - 102.4 - Thursdays at 9pm Sounds of Broadway - Various USA times Illuminate Radio - Saturday at 4pm Crystal Radio - 107.4 - Saturday at 5pm Conquest Radio - Sundays at 9am Coast and County - Sundays at 9am Whaley Radio - Sundays at 10am South Wales One - Sundays at 4pm Barts HBO - Sundays at 11am KGH HBO - Sundays at 2pm Hereford HOB - Sundays 2pm Storm FM - Sundays at 7PM West Hull FM - 106.9 - Sundays 5pm Islands FM - 107.9 - Sundays at 6pm Canalside FM - Sundays at 6pm Meridian FM - 107 - Sundays at 7pm Rural Radio UK - Sundays 7pm Basingstoke Radio - Sundays at 8pm Guernsey Radio - Sundays at 9pm LCR FM - 103.6 - Sundays at 11pm South Devon Sound - Fridays at 1pm HWD Radio - Tuesdays at 6pm KGH - Thursdays at 7pm London Wide Radio - Various Times Islands FM - Thursdays at 8pm South Devon Sound - Friday 2pm JHR Radio - Fridays at 4pm

Skip menu

Woman in Black (UK Tour)

The Woman in Black (UK Tour)
Milton Keynes
(Review Complete)


Plot:
"The Woman in Black" follows Arthur Kipps, a young lawyer, as he travels to a remote mansion to settle an estate. There, he encounters ghostly apparitions and uncovers dark secrets linked to a vengeful spirit. As Kipps delves deeper into the mysteries of the mansion, he must confront his own fears and the chilling truth behind the woman in black's haunting presence.
Set: The set was minimal and relied mostly upon imagination. The play was set in an empty auditorium, the stage itself had been confined to a very small black-box, with a wooden floor that sloped slightly downstage. The stage was slightly eerie-looking, with dirty curtains draped to the side, and a lonely chair and coat rack sitting in the space.

Review:
The “Woman in Black" captivates audiences with its tale of suspense and mystery, drawing upon the talents of its actors to bring the narrative to life. Yet, amidst its promising beginning, I believe the production faces challenges in engaging its audience fully.
From the onset, the actors showcase a wide range of skills, demonstrating their proficiency in portraying complex characters. The Senior Arthur Kipps played by “Malcom James” particularly shone during the beginning, wherein his character slowly progresses as a performer. His portrayal of a man haunted by past trauma also adds depth to the narrative, anchoring the production in emotional resonance. The unnamed role of ‘the Actor’ played by “Mark Hawkins” was equally talented and not only believable in his role but immersive also.

While the premise holds promise, the execution of the plot leaves something to be desired. The first act, in particular, struggles to maintain momentum, with a narrative that feels stagnant and repetitive. The repeated encounters between young Kipps and various characters lack variation, resulting in moments of tedium for the audience. There were many times I found myself not quite present in the moment as there is only a certain amount of times a person can watch two people essentially have the same conversation. One of the production's strengths, however, lies in its reliance on audience imagination. With minimal set design, the play invites viewers to engage actively in crafting the world of the story. This creative approach adds an element of intimacy to the performance, and while I appreciated this element, I can understand equally how others may have found it too sparse an environment.

The second act of "The Woman in Black" proves to be a saving grace, injecting much-needed intensity into the production. As the narrative delves deeper into the haunted house, the atmosphere becomes palpably eerie, keeping audiences on the edge of their seats. However, despite the heightened suspense, the aptly-named ‘Woman in Black’ makes so few appearances, that after a while the tension stops having an effect. While the production makes admirable use of minimalist set design, certain scenes suffer from technical shortcomings. The sequence involving Spider the dog's plight, for instance, is marred by clumsy staging and rushed delivery. I could hardly make out the narration during the scene, meaning I only had a rough idea of what was going on, this completely detracted from the fear I could have been feeling- especially at such a pinnacle of the play.  Amidst such flaws, “Woman in Black" does achieve moments of genuine tension and intrigue. Upon entering the locked nursery and finding the rocking chair left moving, I remember that audience audibly gasped, and I will admit I wasn’t exempt from this.

In its final moments, "The Woman in Black" delivers a chilling denouement that serves as a fitting conclusion to the narrative. While I would not say I was scared at any point during the play, I will say that the second act succeeded in gripping my full attention. The resolution effectively ties up loose ends, as well as ending on such a deadly note, that I myself was left in lingering unease.

Overall, "The Woman in Black" offers a mixed bag of theatrical experiences, characterised by moments of brilliance interspersed with instances of uneven pacing and technical flaws. While the second act proves to be more engaging than the first, the production ultimately falls short of its potential due to its over reliance on suspense and a disjointed narrative. While not without its merits, I would caution prospective viewers against enduring an hour and a half of repetitive dialogue for the sake of a brief, albeit gripping, finale.

Reviewer: Claudia Lynch

We are Gifted tickets so that in return we may give an honest review. All comments are those of the reviewer and theirs alone.
Greasepaint and Stage Lights

Email: musicals@btinternet.com
website: www.greasepaintandstagelights.co.uk
Skip menu
Back to content