'The Woman In Black' is visiting Brisbane Arts Theatre this month.
Here, Julie Englefield from the theatre describes the show.
“It is a ‘gothic’ ghost story, in that while it is set at the turn of last century (Edwardian England), it talks about a story sixty years prior, which is the Gothic/Georgian period. The late 1800s and early 1900s were ‘the golden age’ of belief in supernatural forces, energies and powers and Susan Hill’s acclaimed ghost story ‘The Woman in Black’ sits firmly in the period where, while witches, fairies and elves were no longer elemental (in industrialised England, people moved from the country to cities, therefore the folklore of the countryside became less pervasive), spiritualism and the concept of ghosts had a high profile in gentlefolk’s homes.
Despite the church’s (Protestant) attempt to get rid of the idea of purgatory (there’s heaven if you’re good and hell if you’re bad) – there is no doubt that along with the good and warm stories of conversing with dead relatives, the doorway was open for the lesser desirable dead people to have an impact as well. 'The Woman in Black' tells the story of a man attempting to exorcise a ghostly curse but retelling the tale with the assistance of a young actor. The audience is constantly challenged by the concept of what is real and what is imagined.
In the age of ‘alternative facts’, our ability to choose our reality takes on a new meaning. We, the audience, can choose to believe it is being acted, or we can believe it is real, but also a play in a theatre. There are blurred lines everywhere and – as in life – deep thought is required to determine the truth. Ultimately, a choice is also required as to whether we can accept the truth.”
– Julie Englefield, Brisbane Arts Theatre.
