Review by MT Bennet, Front Row Reviewers
Returning to haunt Parker Theatre for a short time only is The Woman in Black, a production you won’t want to miss this spooky season. This play uses a minimalist approach to tapping into your fears, and it is easy to see why Parker Theatre is bringing back the crowd favorite. I had the opportunity to see the production last year and was looking forward to being terrified again.
Originally written in 1983 as a novel by Susan Hill, this story has been shown as a television film (1989), a film starring Daniel Radcliffe (2012), and a stage adaptation by Stephen Mallatratt. The stage production is the second-longest running play in the history of London’s West End Theatre. The Woman in Black follows the haunting story of Arthur Kipps, a solicitor sent to settle the estate of the late Alice Drablow. While there he is haunted by a woman dressed in black who drives him into madness and causes mayhem in his life.
In a modest, almost sparse stage setting, a lone lightbulb shines, and The Actor, played by Michael Hohl steps up and begins a recitation. Behind him a huge imposing shadow throws an eerie cast. Suddenly, in comes Arthur Kipps, played by Ben Lowell, who flips on a warm light. The initial interactions between these two are comical and lighthearted. That is what this play does. You go in expecting something scary, then the play draws you into a false sense of security with jokes and laughs. You begin to feel safe. Then, when you think you catch a whiff that all is not well, it shoves you down crumbling dark stairs and you tumble into a terrifying world of supernatural suspense.
This is a piece with few players. Hohl returns from his incredible performance last year and is flawless again. Despite playing “The Actor” his character’s dramatic abilities are called into question. As the play deepens, his performance shifts from raconteur to participant in the unfolding nightmare. Hohl plays all of the side characters in this narrative, each one with their own accent, mannerisms, and feel. It is impressive to see him slip into each one. This also speaks to the talent of Dialect Coach Brett Myers.
Matching Hohl’s experience stride for stride is Lowell as Arthur Kipps. Lowell is new to this production and his excellent elocution and enunciation are unequaled. Every word is perfectly projected and crystal clear. His Kipps is believable, sympathetic, and quietly haunted. The slow burn of trauma, of a man who, like the audience, thought he was safe but quickly realises he isn’t, is grounded in Lowell’s carefully controlled performance. He doesn’t race into horror; he lives in it.
There are technically two other characters but each go uncredited in the playbill. One would be a sound operator “Mr. Bunce” who brings the “miracle of recorded sound” to the stage and story. Credit goes to Sound Designers Michael Hohl and Spencer Hohl. Their use of sound in this play is masterful. I attended The Woman in Black with my horror movie loving sister.. She confessed to me that she didn’t think a play would frighten her and then confessed that she was terrified, in large part, to the perfect application of sounds at the right moments. “I couldn’t escape.” she said. “It was all around me and there was nowhere for me to hide.”
The other terrifying character is The Woman in Black herself. While uncredited in the playbill, and her appearances are fleeting, The Woman’s impact is enormous. She understands that true terror isn’t in the scream, but in the silence before it. Each time she emerges, sometimes seen, sometimes only felt, the temperature in the room seems to drop. With her stillness, poise, and eerie grace, we sense that The Woman in Black is less a character than a curse that has learned to walk.
Much of this is also due to Kristen Hafen’s special effects and the lighting design done by James B. Parker. In every production at Parker Theatre, I’ve always been impressed with the lighting. In The Woman in Black, the lights engineer an aura of dread that perfectly compliments the rest of the production.
All of this comes together and keeps the audience shaking with fright. When I saw the play the audience had frequent gasps, screams, and even one declaration of, “No! Don’t go in there!” The audience was so immersed in the tense suspense, waiting to see what comes next, that we were hesitant to clap between scenes, almost like we were frightened to break the spell that was being cast.
What stands out most is how the production doesn’t oversell the fright. There’s no gimmicky monster, no flood of scream and strobe. Instead, you’re left with the slow freeze of dread, the feeling you’re waiting for something to happen and when it does, you feel it. That restraint is the show’s strength. You can tell that Director Brinton M. Wilkins really loves this show and truly understands the assignment.
If you want a ghost story that seeps into your bones, one that uses light, sound, and space to prick at your nerves long after you leave the theatre, then Parker Theatre’s The Woman in Black is what you are looking for. A masterclass in atmospheric storytelling.
Parker Theater presents The Woman in Black. Based on Susan Hill’s novel, adapted by Stephen Mallatratt.
Parker Theater, 3605 State St, South Salt Lake, UT 84115
Friday and Saturday October 17-18, 20, 24-25, 29-30, November 1, 2025 7:30 pm, Saturday matinees 3:30 pm.
Tickets: Adult $31, Children (ages 4-17) $22
Contact: 801-532-6000, boxoffice@parkertheatre.org
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