SOUTH SALT LAKE — Theatre is built on the concept of “suspension of disbelief,” the idea that audiences must set aside the fact that everything on stage is fake in order to emotionally engage with the fictional narrative. In other words, audiences typically need to be able to use their imaginations a little bit. The actors in Parker Theatre’s The Woman in Black invite their audience to imagine that a large hamper is a horse and trap, and an actor is petting a dog rather than empty air. Audiences suspend their disbelief, use their imagination, and then…their imaginations run wild. Suddenly, lurking shadows brush past you, the ground vibrates beneath your feet, and imagination is no longer necessary because the haunting dread has become inescapably real.
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The Woman in Black was adapted into a play by Stephen Mallatratt from the 1983 novel of the same name by Susan Hill. The original West End production closed in 2023 as second-longest-running non-musical. The very next year, it was performed by the Parker Theatre for the first time. Now the Parker’s chilling production is considered an annual tradition for the Halloween season, and for good reason. This production, directed by Brinton M. Wilkins, proves that strong storytelling, truthful acting, and purposeful staging is more powerful than special effects could ever be.
The story has multiple layers, because it is a play within a play: an older man named Arthur Kipps (Michael Hohl) hires an Actor (Ben Lowell) to help him tell the chilling story of his past in hopes that it will exorcise the ghosts that will not let him rest. Lowell takes on the role of a young Arthur Kipps for the remainder of the play, while Hohl plays all the people he met during this experience. The story follows Arthur Kipps when he was a young solicitor tasked with settling the estate of the reclusive widow of Eel Marsh House, a mansion surrounded by dangerous marshland and sudden fogs. The tragic secrets of this house refuse to stay buried, and manifest in the haunting presence of a mysterious woman dressed in black. As Arthur Kipps’ story unfolds, the actors telling the story—and the audience—are drawn further into the chilling realm of the Woman in Black.
Much of the play’s frightening effectiveness is due to information withheld from the audience. I will be treading carefully in the remainder of my review to avoid spoiling any of these chilling twists. Trust me, viewers will want to be surprised.
The action of the play takes place in the very theater the audience is sitting in, the Parker Theatre. The stage is cluttered with furniture covered in sheets, baskets, a clothing rack in the corner, and other seemingly random items. A translucent curtain partially obscures the back half of the stage. A single light, a “ghost light” stands in the middle of the stage. This brilliant set design by James B. Parker had me spooked before any actors even came on stage. The effectiveness of the set design developed as the play continued. By the end, the clothing rack in the corner had me jumping whenever I caught it in the corner of my eye.
Additionally, Parker’s lighting design was essential to the ever growing tension. He utilized black outs, projections, strobes, and even a simple flashlight to create chilling moments. Sound designers Michael Hohl and Spencer Hohl used sound beyond the traditional scope to create a visceral and spine-chilling atmosphere. Some of my favorite moments in the show (aka scariest), were when the audience could feel the sound vibrating up through the floor. With this, not only can we see and hear things, but we can also physically feel the mounting terror.
Even with all of this absolutely spectacular technical design, the play would not have been possible without the emotionally riveting performances by Ben Lowell and Michael Hohl. These performers are a masterclass in simply existing, which is a lot harder than it seems. Nothing felt forced or artificial. There were no microphones but every word was crisp and motivated, and their mounting dread felt entirely genuine. At one point, there was a pantomimed dog, but Lowell and Hohl interacted with this imaginary dog with such honesty, I found myself getting worried for the dog that was not actually there!
These two had excellent and essential chemistry for this two-man play, while both actors showed independently strong performances. Lowell carried a stunning duality between the actor and the character he was playing. His young Arthur Kipps was complex and relatable as he slowly unraveled, and the actor playing that part was haunting because the audience could watch the line between performance and reality blur in real time. It was fascinating to watch Hohl’s elder Kipps grow while watching his past, but the truly impressive element of Hohl’s performance was the number of characters he plays. Each character has a remarkably distinct voice, physicality, and even little habits. They were not caricatures but fleshed out characters. The nuances in dialect between each character was equally impressive with dialect coaching credited to Brett Myers.
Despite the title of the show, the titular Woman in Black is not a listed character in the program, but there is undoubtedly a haunting presence. Kristin Hafen and Ashley Slater, listed as the visual and practical effects managers respectively, are the final piece of the puzzle in this terrifying tale. Hafen and Slater did excellent, spine-chilling work. However, there were a few moments during which the hauntings became too tangible. Without going into specifics, sometimes a visual element was clearly seen or was in the light for just a tad too long. These instances momentarily ruined the illusion and the effectiveness of leaving more to the imagination.
For those who love classic ghost stories and chilling suspense, The Woman in Black is the perfect way to spend a spooky evening. However, I would not recommend this play for younger audiences. Maybe I am just a scaredy-cat, but I was jumping at shadows and couldn’t get to sleep the remainder of the night. This lingering chill is just another indicator of the excellent work done by everyone involved in this production. Brilliantly acted and hauntingly designed, this play is a masterclass in the power of effective storytelling. Imaginations will run wild as the line between performance and reality blurs, leaving audiences in terror at every whisper and moving shadow as The Woman in Black haunts Parker Theatre.
MORE INFO: The Woman in Black runs October 23rd – October 31st, and November 6th and 7th. Performances are at 7:30 PM at the Parker Theatre (9900 South State Street, South Salt Lake). Tickets are $25-35. For more information, visit https://www.parkertheatre.org/
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