The Woman in Black
Dayton Theatre Guild -presents The Woman in Black Nov. 29–Dec. 15, 2024 -Adapted by Stephen Mallatratt -From the book by Susan Hill
The Woman in Black -presented by Dayton Theatre Guild
A solicitor is sent to a remote estate to wind up the affairs of the late hermit. He soon discovers that a woman in black haunts the house, and his life is on the line. Fast-paced and theatrically imaginative, this thriller will frighten and delight you to the very end!
The Woman In Black Adapted by Stephen Mallatratt, by Susan Hill is a 1987 stage play, adapted by Stephen Mallatratt.
The play is based on the 1983 book of the same name by English author Susan Hill. Arthur Kipps, an attorney, is sent to handle the estate of the deceased Mrs. Drablow. He makes the trip to her funeral in a bleak and lonely part of England, where all of his enquiries into the details of her estate and her family are met with silence. At the funeral, Kipps alone observes a strange young, ghastly-looking woman dressed in black.
The next morning, Kipps is taken to Mrs. Drablow’s eerie Eel Marsh house. The house is reached by way of a narrow causeway that is passable only during low tide. As Kipps investigates the house and the surrounding property, he again sees the woman in black, but is unable to follow her. His apprehension and fear grow. As he cautiously explores the inside of the house, he uncovers a large number of documents and information he must sift through in order to settle Mrs. Drablow’s affairs. His efforts reveal secrets and unexplainable events.
Who is this woman in black? Why are the townspeople so hesitant to answer his questions? What happens to haunt Kipps years later? As Kipps and an actor he hires to help tell his story, struggle to tell it all and exorcise both their demons, we learn the chilling answer to these questions — and more.