The Woman in Black at The Lowry Review
The Woman in Black
The Lowry, Manchester
28 April to 2 May 2015
Reviewed by Sophie Knight
After seeing the film of The Woman in Black, starring Daniel Radcliffe, I was enthusiastic at the prospect of going to the Lowry Theatre in Salford to see the stage adaptation of the Susan Hill gothic horror novel.
We arrived at the theatre and parked easily at the multi-storey car park, which is a short walking distance away. The Lowry is very accessible and is on a main bus and tram route. We collected our tickets and program from the desk and were directed to our seats in the Lyric Theatre by a helpful member of staff.
The story tells the tale of Kipps, a solicitor, who is being haunted by the Woman in Black. He persuades an actor to work with him while they tell the tale of the spectral goings on. When he goes to Eel Marsh House to the funeral of Alice Drablow to collect her documents, he is cut off and isolated and a series of ghostly events take place. The play started off quite slowly, but after a short while, we became engrossed by the tale. As the suspense steadily built up to create a scary atmosphere, some members of the audience became terrified and were screaming out loud.
Talented actors Mherealcolm James and Matt Connor were excellent playing multiple roles throughout the performance. The special effects really set the scene as there were very few props. A rocking chair creaked creepily, atmospheric lighting dimmed and flashed, the staged was filled with fog and strange sounds all added to the performance.
I was pleasantly surprised by how genuinely scary parts of the play were and I jumped out of my skin on more than one occasion. I would recommend this play to fans of gothic horror. I enjoyed it tremendously and would definitely go to see it again.
Rating: 5/5 
Tickets cost from £17 to £31 (includes £2 booking fee).
The Woman in Black is at The Lowry in Manchester until 2 May 2015. For more information or to book tickets click here or call the box office on 0843 208 6000.
The Lowry, Pier 8, Salford Quays, Manchester, M50 3AZ | 0843 208 6000
