‘Unexpected shocks give you a remarkable piece of storytelling’
JEFFREY DAVIES meets Robert Goodale, star of spine-tingling thriller The Woman in Black, a haunting tale that will leave you sleeping with the light on
ATRULY nerve-shredding experience’. ‘A journey into fear’. ‘Don’t go unless you like being scared out of your wits’. A lawyer obsessed with a curse that he believes has been cast over him and his family by the spectre of A Woman in Black, engages a sceptical young actor to help him and his family tell his terrifying story and exorcise the fear that grips his soul.
Now celebrating more than three decades in the West End, the unanimously acclaimed staging of spine-tingling thriller The Woman in Black is set to haunt audiences as the most terrifying live theatre experience in the world returns to the West Country. A brilliantly successful study in atmosphere, illusion and controlled horror, director Robin Herford’s gripping production stars Robert Goodale as Arthur Kipps and Anthony Eden as The Actor.
It all begins innocently enough as the two men act out the solicitor’s experiences on Eel Marsh all those years ago. But then, as they reach further into his darkest memories, they find themselves caught up in a world of eerie marshes, moaning winds and tragic secrets as the border between make-believe and reality blurs.
‘Don’t go unless you like being scared out of your wits’ cried one national newspaper critic.
“Exactly. That puts it better than I ever could have done. It encapsulates it beautifully,” a most welcoming Robert Goodale told me ahead of the drama’s appearance in Bath.
Glowing plaudits aplenty. What makes The Woman in Black such a celebrated success?
“Oh gosh. Well first of all it is a beautiful piece of storytelling. What is wonderful about it is what Stephen Mallatratt, who adapted it, did with Susan Hill’s fine book, which was to imagine that the person who had written it had actually experienced all these terrible things.
“It’s a bit like the people in the Second World War who had encountered terrible torture and had kept it completely bottled up; kept it to themselves, until a certain point at which his new family, who don’t know anything about it, ask him to tell them a story about ghosts which he’s unable to do,” Robert explained.
“So what this man feels he has to do is to write it down and recount it to his family which he does. He hires an actor to help him to relate this story. The actor insists that he acts out all the different people that he came across. Basically this play is a cathartic journey. What you see when you’re watching it is not just a story. It is about this man having difficulty with telling it; emotionally engaged with the reason it is so difficult. You’re watching a man who is almost on the verge of a breakdown trying to finally release this story to the world. And gradually managing to do it. Within the storytelling told by these two people, you have a wonderful simplicity. The fact that we’re not using huge production values is completely its strength.
“Everything is very simple and very simply told. You actually buy into the situation even more than you would if you were presented with the full-scale set. Added on to that, the completely unexpected shocks give you a remarkable piece of storytelling,” he added most enthusiastically.
The late Stephen Mallatratt’s ingenious adaptation of Susan Hill’s bestselling ghost story combines the power and intensity of live theatre with a cinematic quality inspired by the world of film noir to provide audiences with an evening of unremitting drama and theatricality. To bring, quote, the whole play alive.
“When I think of all other adaptations of the same material which haven’t really succeeded, it is not that he’s had great gimmicky ideas, but just the fact that he has completely understood the art of storytelling and of frightening people on a very deep level,” Robert said.
The thriller. The horror story. Quintessentially a very English medium?
“Well it’s very interesting you should say that because we had one little diversion on the last UK tour. We went off to Washington DC. And it was very interesting to see the reaction there. They absolutely loved the storytelling element perhaps more so than in this country. But the one thing we didn’t get then was screams. In the UK if we do a show without a scream we feel we’ve failed.
“One of the objectives is to get people to scream. And we
usually get plenty of them!”
The thought of being frightened to death by what is essentially entertainment is not everyone’s idea of a pleasant and relaxing night out I suggested. What’s the appeal of spinechilling, spooky dramas like this?
“I think it’s all the thrill of the funfair. It’s like going on a rollercoaster. You love to be taken somewhere knowing that actually – ultimately – it’s safe and that you can walk out of the theatre at the end. Although having said that, a friend of mine told me the other day that she saw The Woman in Black when she was 14 and had to sleep with her parents for the next few weeks afterwards!” Robert said with a laugh.
Has the celebrated actor, producer and writer ever suffered nightmares himself as a result of playing in ‘the most brilliantly effective spine-chiller you will ever encounter’?
“No. I think the opposite. It all comes out on the stage for me. When I go home I’m released, a bit like my character Arthur Kipps who uses this activity to rid himself of it. All I can say is I slept incredibly well last night Jeffrey!” he laughed, informing me also that he doesn’t ever take a character home with him.
“I leave him behind me as soon as I leave the stage or the TV and film studios. But then, of course, it’s the other way round when I come in to work next day. I then bring the character back with me again,” he smiled.
Robert said he was not ‘particularly’ a fan of the ghost/ horror/spine-chiller genre himself.
“It’s not the sort of thing I watch or read necessarily. No. But I do think that this one is just so strong and so rich because it is not just about that. There’s so much more to this story. It’s about courage as well.
“Our director Robin keeps saying this is about a group of people in a market town. People who are basically struggling to survive. They had something terrible happen within their midst. “
The world has been witness to dark times during the past 18 or so months. Social distancing, face masks and hand sanitiser de rigeur. Does Robert feel that the pandemic will add an extra sinister and eerie feel to the mood and atmosphere of The Woman in Black for the audience?
“That’s an interesting question. I don’t know because we have only just started touring with this play. However I suspect that will be the case because we’ve all shared a feeling of darkness which we haven’t certainly felt in our generation before. I absolutely think it will touch into that. Yes, very much so. But not to a huge extent. Just something underlying within the audience on that level,” he answered most sensitively.
The Woman in Black was first performed to rave reviews in 1987 at Theatre-by-the-sea in Scarborough. As well as performing in many productions for the Royal Shakespeare Company and Shakespeare’s Globe, Robert’s impressive stage credits include The Duchess of Malfi, Cyrano de Bergerac, Uncle Vanya, The Importance of Being Earnest and Arcadia. His many screen credits include Births, Marriages and Deaths, Traitors and Captain Webb. He has also appeared in many favourite TV dramas including Victoria, Foyle’s War, Heartbeat, The House of Elliot, Holby City, Doc Martin, Doctors, Midsomer Murders and Inspector Morse.
Appearing in favourite TV dramas must be fun?
“Yes, yes. On the whole it’s great fun. I love it. But it does depend on the show and the culture of the people who are in it. Certain ones are so welcoming and such good fun. One or two others – I won’t say which – are more cliquey,” he said.
Theatre, TV or film. Does Robert have a preferred genre?
“I enjoy it all. Stopping theatre and doing some filming. Stopping filming and doing some theatre. But I must say this present job is the most fulfilling I’ve ever had,” he replied.
A global success story, The Woman in Black has toured internationally to countries including the United States, South America, India, Japan, Singapore and New Zealand. A firm favourite with Bath audiences, 2021 marks the tenth time The Woman in Black has toured to the Theatre Royal Bath.
In 2012 a film adaptation of The Woman in Black starring Daniel Radcliffe became the highest grossing British horror film in 20 years. Its sequel, The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death, followed in 2014.
The Woman in Black is playing the Theatre Royal Bath from July 5 to 10. Tickets can be booked on 01225 448844 or online at www.theatreroyal. org.uk
In the UK if we do a show without a scream we feel we’ve failed. One of the objectives is to get people to scream. And we usually get plenty of them!” Robert Goodale