I The Woman in Black, Waterside Theatre, Aylesbury, 22^nd January 

The stage adaption of Susan Hill’s horrific tale is an attack on the senses from two different flanks.  Firstly, Julian Forsyth’s portrayal of the haunted Arthur Kipps is outstanding. Every horrific detail he recounts chills you to the bone and fills you with compassion for this truly tortured character. Antony Eden is also able to compliment Forsyth to great effect through his role as ‘the Actor’, a particularly poignant role in its own right. The Actor is able to act as a mirror, reflecting the horrors endured by Kipps and so is a role that is extremely demanding. Eden’s portrayal of the Actor is performed with so much empathy and heart that the interplay between the two characters becomes truly moving, but also horrific in equal measure. The second flank of this onslaught on the senses is the terrific work of the light and sound technicians. Every thud, every creak and every scream relayed by the sound technicians compliments the actions of the actors in perfect harmony. Honestly, I could definitely hear the collective rising of goosebumps at everyone of the Woman in Black’s shill abrasive screeches. This works in perfect harmony with the blackening of the scene or the silhouette of the gruesome manor created by the fabulous light technicians. The Woman in Black is truly a performance built on the harmony of all the elements. Without this care and sensitivity, the play is likely to turn into a bit of a farce. This is not the case for this particular production. Chilling, gripping and touching, the Woman in Black is truly a must see.

8/10

Oscar Taherbeigi