Mysterious and Foreboding, The Woman in Black Comes to Eerie Life at Main Street Theater

Main Street Theater gives us plenty of chills for these sweaty summer nights via its superlative rendition of Stephen Malatratt’s adaptation of Susan Hill’s Victorian gothic ghost story, The Woman in Black.

Imaginatively shepherded by director Philip Hays, and abetted by a phalanx of pro designers in set (Jodi Bobrovsky), costume Paige A. Willson), lighting (Andrew Archer), and especially sound (Shawn W. St. John), the supernatural tale takes on eerie life because of the two actors who lead us into this spooky spectral world, Danny Hayes and Ian Lewis. They play off and against each other with a supernatural force of their own. We’re in safe hands with these two, although our own hands may shake in apprehension as the story progresses and grows darker and more mysterious.

Years after the events of the play, solicitor Kipps (Hayes) wants to tell his tale to his family to rid himself of the curse that has haunted him for years. It must be told, he repeats to the Actor (Lewis) he has hired to help him prepare. They meet in a decrepit Victorian theater with seashell footlights, a ratty proscenium, a red velvet curtain drawn back upstage, and props covered with dusty sheets.

The opening scenes are played for laughs as the Actor rolls his eyes as he attempts to bring life into Kipps’ dry reading of his own story. “I’ll make you an Irving yet,” he promises. Slowly, though, through theatrical prestidigitation, the Actor takes on the role of the younger Kipps, while Kipps plays all the other characters: pony and trap driver, wary townsfolk, London lawyer. It’s wonderful theater magic. (The playbill lists Hayes in the Actor role and Lewis as Kipps — an indication of things to come.)

“I don’t believe in ghosts,” wails the Actor playing Kipps. But events will shake his resolve soon enough. For you see, there’s a Woman in Black (Callina Anderson in silent mode) who appears throughout to drive Kipps mad. She’s a vengeful sprite, a figure of evil and retribution, set to wreak havoc on those innocents who cross her blasted path. In days long past, she was an unwed mother who gave up her son to her sister Mrs. Drablow of Eel Marsh House.

Wanting to be close to him, she moved into Drablow’s forlorn mansion on the marshes, but was forbidden to tell her son that she was his mother. Watching from the house, she witnessed the death of her young son, sucked into the mud during the sudden appearance of the dismal sea mist, the fret, and forever after walks the earth to seek retribution on any poor soul who sees her. Death will surely follow.

This wondrous melodrama spins its weird tale with simple theatricalism. Two fine actors at the top of their game (Anderson doesn’t have anything to do except make her ghostly appearances), stunning lighting effects, atmospheric sound work, and the sure command from director Hays, who overlays all this with a visual splendor and moody pace that fits this ghost story like a worm-eaten black lace glove.

The Woman in Black is certainly Main Street’s 2023-24 season topper: a fitting tribute to the power of theater. Anyway, who doesn’t like a good ghost story? Trust me, you won’t find a better one.

The Woman in Black continues through August 11 at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays at Main Street Theater, 2540 Times Boulevard. For more information, call 713-524-6706 or visit mainstreettheater.com. $39-$59.