The Woman in Black

Horror hardly ever works well on stage. Something about theatre stops scares in their tracks. We see the strings, we spot the tricks and we’re braced for things to go bump in the dark. The Woman In Black is the exception to that rule. It is a terrifying theatrical trip.

The second longest-running play in the West End, this startling two-man show has set audiences screaming for 30 years. A thrilling, stripped-back adaptation of Susan Hill’s classic gothic novella, it’s secret is simple: it relies almost entirely on an audience’s imagination. All the scares it springs happen in your head. Or do they?

Solicitor Arthur Kipps has rented a theatre and hired an actor to help him recount a horrifying experience from his past. As a junior, he travelled to the north east coast of England to execute an elderly woman’s will. Alice Drablow lived alone in the eerily remote Eel Marsh House on a causeway that, at high tide, becomes completely cut off from the mainland and Kipps, rifling through her belongings, finds himself trapped.

Attending her funeral he caught sight of a woman dressed in black with a wasted white face and, alone in the Drablow house, he hears unexplained noises out on the marshes: a horse and carriage rearing to a halt, the screams of a child and his maid. In town, he learns the history of the house – a story of a mother, a carriage crash and a dead child. Local legend has it that sightings of her ghost signal the death of a child.

Using only a picnic hamper and a few well-chosen sound effects, two actors conjure the misty and mysterious environs of the coastal marshes at the Fortune Theatre. Originally staged in Scarborough, Stephen Mallatratt’s simple stage adaptation has become a hallmark for horror theatre – one that sends you home uncertain as to whether or not you watched a play or caught sight of a ghost yourself.

Which theatre and where?

The Woman in Black is showing at the 432 seat Fortune Theatre which is located at Russell Street, Holborn, London WC2B 5HH

How does it work?

Choose your seats via our live booking platform, once payment is completed you will receive an email confirmation with your booking reference number. Collect your tickets from the Fortune Theatre box office on the day of the show, a minimum of 30 minutes before the performance start time, print and bring along the ticket confirmation email. Tickets must be collected by the purchasing customer with a valid photo ID. Please have your booking reference number at hand when collecting your tickets.

Any Questions?

If you have any questions about your ticket purchase you can contact our customer services team on 0800 820 2222

Good to know

Strobe lighting is used several times during the performance.

Suitable for children?

The Woman in Black is recommended for ages 6 and above. Children under the age of 3 will not be admitted.

Cancellation policy

No exchanges or refunds available after purchase.

Can I video record or take photos?

The use of camera and sound recording equipment is strictly prohibited.