Haunting success

Two details illustrate the frightening power of “The Woman in Black,” a theatrical ghost story:

“Many of the reviews mention the show’s “audible screams.” Not just from the actors. From the audience.

“This show has been running nonstop in London’s West End since 1989.

That’s no typo. “The Woman in Black,” Stephen Mallatratt’s adaptation of Susan Hill’s ghost story, has been going strong since the Margaret Thatcher administration. It is one of the longest-running plays in London history.

The show, with its tiny cast and crowd-pleasing appeal, has proven to be a smash with regional theaters as well.

Plenty of local theatergoers can attest to the power of “The Woman in Black.” Interplayers first did this show in 1998, delivering a chilling and effective version way back in the days when it had been running a mere nine years in London.

That version had all of the elements that have made “The Woman in Black” a long-running phenomenon: a mist-shrouded mansion, midnight knocks on the door, howling windstorms, creaking staircases and the ticking of clocks, echoing down dark hallways.

We actually see few, if any, of these things. Most of these images are conjured through the use of sound effects and the vivid language delivered by the only two actors in the show.

Think of “The Woman in Black” as almost like a live radio drama. As everybody knows, radio can be an especially scary medium. (Even the Shadow knows.)

The plot is simple: A Londoner wants to exorcise the most frightening moment of his life – the appearance of a ghostly woman in black. So he hires an actor to help him re-create the experience.

This new version is directed by Ron Ford, a local theater and film veteran. The two-person cast features Spokane’s two talented Damons: Damon Abdallah as Arthur Kipps and Damon Mentzer as The Actor. Both transform themselves into other characters, as the story demands.

By the way, “The Woman in Black” should not be confused with “The Woman in White,” the most recent Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. “The Woman in Black” is in no way a musical – although there’s plenty of screaming.