So good, I saw it twice.

The Woman in Black Directed by John Boyce

Brisbane Arts Theatre

Season: June 10th - July 15th

It isn't uncommon for me to attend a performance more than once if I find it particularly compelling, and Brisbane Arts Theatre's production of The Woman in Black is the latest show to gain my repeat patronage. The Woman in Black is a play-within-a-play, recounting the harrowing story of a lawyer sent to recover documents from a deceased estate in an isolated part of England, where he encounters and becomes cursed by the titular woman in black.

On both occasions, the evening began in the courtyard at the Petrie Terrace venue, where the winter chill in the air set a sense of trepidation in a way that a balmy summer's evening wouldn't. We were led to our seats in the dimly lit theatre and what followed was two enthralling hours of actors Dom Tennison and Reagan Warner playing multiple roles set in multiple periods of time. Although I have worked alongside Warner twice onstage, this was the first time I had watched him or Tennison perform in a play. Warner gave life to two roles: the foppish actor whom Arthur Kipps has hired to perform in his play; and the young Arthur Kipps. Tennison played a variety of roles, such as the present day mild-mannered Arthur Kipps, the sniffle-afflicted clerk and the sullen horse and trap driver. I initially thought that the play-within-a-play and multicharacter format of The Woman in Black would be confusing to follow, yet both actors had remarkable control over the mannerisms and gestures of their respective characters. Costuming was integral to identifying the different characters, particularly those being played by Tennison, as his transitions between characters were fast and frequent. Warner's transitioning between characters was more pronounced, however it was a fitting juxtaposition to the nuanced transitions of Tennison.

The mise-en-scène suggested a late-Victorian/early-Edwardian era setting, signified mostly by the set and actors' costuming. The stage consisted of a hat rack, a hanging rail, a trunk and various chairs placed in front of a scrim. The set designer did an excellent job of creating the cluttered, eerie deceased estate set that was concealed behind the scrim. The use of light (and lack thereof) and sound contributed greatly to the overall ominous atmosphere, and demonstrated that elaborate special effects are not needed to unnerve an audience. My only criticism would be that the production team were visible and audible at times. I understand that this is often unavoidable in live theatre, however it did affect the verisimilitude of what was happening on stage.

If you have the opportunity to do so, I would definitely recommend seeing The Woman in Black before the season ends. I didn't take any photos while I was at the theatre, so here's a photo of my mum and I ripping après-show cones in a Hungry Jack's parking lot.

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