The women in black

• Malcom James was Arthur Kipps
• Mark Hawkins played The Actor
• The Actor is played by Mark Hawkins
• Old Arthur Kipps is played by Malcom James
• Costume:

  • Woman in Black had a Black Drape across her face as well as white makeup 
  • Most costume changes were done on set 
  • The Woman in Black had a mourning dress to represent that she is sad about the loss of her child 
  • Face is painted white to stand out more and symbolise the lifeless ghost that she is 
  • Contrast of colours within the Woman in Black costume to represent Heaven and Hell 
  • Sam Daily is wealthy which is seen by his red velvet blazer 
  • At the start of the play, the young actors’ sleeveless
• Set:

  • Obvious set changes 
  • Behind the gauze there was a graveyard scene/ nursery scene 
  • Use of fog when talking about it being misty, helps the audience to set the scene more 
  • There was a slit in the curtain that was used when the actor came from when he went up the stairs 
  • The basket is used as a seat on the train, bed, a box filled with letters, a desk and a horse carriage 
  • In the opening the man kicks 3 buckets, this symbolises death due to the phrase “Kicked the bucket 
• Lighting:

  • The use of lighting is plain and simple at the beginning of the play when the rehearsal is happening. This is a warm orange light in order to settle the audience before the horror starts 
  • The lighting is used to control what the audience can see 
  • The train scene used lighting effectively in order to set the scene of them travelling at speed 
  • The Actor uses a flashlight when the audience is in complete darkness which then later lands upon the woman’s face. This causes confusion and disarray 
• Sound:

  • In the Giffos Arms when Arthur is explaining where he is going to be staying, there is background chatter, then falls to silence which highlights that the house is bad 
  • Footsteps got louder as Arthur went up the stairs 
  • Loud noises are used throughout the play as it makes the audience sense fear and to feel uneasy 
  • The music box 
  • The rocking chair 
  • When Arthur is reading the letter from Janette, the ghost is overlapping him 
• Voice:

  • A change in character is shown through the voice used by the actor 
  • The man at the beginning uses a monotone voice to show that he is uncomfortable speaking about the events that have been. 
  • Arthur kipps projects his voice into the audience and uses a very narrative/ storytelling tone of voice 
  • Piercing screams are used from the woman in black 
  • Pauses are used often during and in between speech to hold the audience’s attention and allows the awkwardness/ suspense to last 
• Moment:

  • The train and the horse carriage had the actors waving and moving slightly to show the travel and to make it more realistic 
  • Woman in Black moved slowly through the audience and brushed against audience members 
  • The main actor who played Arthur Kipps moved fluently and frequently in order to uphold the momentum of the performance. 
  • The use of levels were used often in order to add texture to the play. Arthur Kipps sometimes falls to the floor to show vulnerability to the audience. 
• Old Arthur Kipps (Malcolm James) at the beginning of the play

  • Hunched over posture
  • Hands held and close to torso
  • Monotone when he speaks
  • Stumbles over words
  • Quiet
  • Scared of The Woman in Black still. She may return
• Old Arthur Kipps


  Obviously doesn't want to speak about his experience
• The Actor


  Tells the Older Arthur Kipps to have more expression from the audience
• The Actor


  • Has more volume and projection
  • More expression in his body language
• The Actor


  Does Not follow direction and goes straight back to normal - casts a comedic effect on to the audience leading them into a false sense of security
• Kechwick meeting


  1. Kechwick picking up Arthur Kipps

  2. Malcolm James changes costume into shepherd's hat and long grey trench coat to become Kechwick

  3. Hawkins miming waiting and looking off into the audience

  4. Box becomes the carriage

  5. Sound effect of trotting hooves creates illusion of horses
• Kipps


  Enthusiastic and attempts to make small talk
• Kechwick


  • Only form of communication is a nod to suggest Kipps getting into the carriage
  • Uses gestures and movement to mime reins for the horse
  • Jolts side to side to suggest movement
• Kipps on the journey

  1. In an upright position with suitcase to chest

  2. Speaks out to audience on what he sees

  3. As Eel Marsh house appears, hoists himself onto tiptoes and crouches to get better view

  4. Could show naivety to the situation that follows
• Kipps


  • Falls asleep on the box after a hard day of travelling and work
• Silence is disturbed


  Rocking of a chair from a locked room upstairs
• Kipps is under the impression that he is the only one there but has suspected a presence after seeing a Woman at Alice Drablows funeral
• Kipps walks upstairs slowly

  1. Creeping up the stairs

  2. Gait is slow and strides are narrow
• Kipps


  • Held a lantern which casts minimal orange light over the stage
  • His gaze is fixed on the locked door where the rocking is coming from
• Kipps reaches for the door handle

  1. Painfully slow reach

  2. Grasps the handle of the door
• An ear-piercing scream from the woman in black is casted into the audience
• Kipps


  • Falls back and the light falls too
  • Scrabbles to his feet with a shocked still look on his face
• James


  Takes the role of the narrator as he explains the events that are unfolding
• Action Narration


  • Contrast with the sporadic actions of Kipps and the calm, hypnotic, storyteller voice of the Actor
  • The only noise from the Actor is the breathless disbelief