“The Woman in Black" at the Richmond Hill Barn Theatre -- October 2 through 12.
Thursday, October 2, through Sunday, October 12
Richmond Hill Barn Theatre, 600 Robinson Drive, Geneseo IL
Described by Time Out New York as a play that “provides a pleasurable ripple of fear down one's spine and an uncomfortable lurch in the pit of one's stomach,” the intimate chiller The Woman in Black enjoys a spooky-season run at Geneseo's Richmond Hill Barn Theatre, its October 2 through 12 engagement inviting audiences to witness an evocative stage tale that The Daily Mail called “a truly nerve-shredding experience.”
With the work based on the 1983 novel by Susan Hill and adapted by Stephen Mallatratt, the framework for the spine-tingling The Woman in Black is unusual. In the play, a lawyer named Mr. Kipps hires an unnamed actor to tutor him in recounting to family and friends a story that has long troubled him, concerning events that transpired when he attended the funeral of an elderly recluse. There he caught sight of the titular woman in black, the mere mention of whom terrifies the locals, for she is a specter who haunts the neighborhood in which her illegitimate child was accidentally killed. Anyone who sees her dies, and Mr. Kipps has invited some friends to watch as he and the actor recreate the events of that dark and stormy night. Given its frights and discussions of child loss, The Woman in Black is not recommended for audience members under the age of 12.
Directing The Woman in Black, and also serving as light and sound designer, is venue veteran Dana Skiles, who certainly knows her way around a stage chiller, having helmed the Barn Theatre's 2023 production of Stephen King's Misery. Skiles' additional credits as a director for the Richmond Hill Players include recent productions of My Son Is Crazy, but Promising, Here Lies Jeremy Troy, and Clue: On Stage. With David Shaffer serving as stage manager, Skiles' creative team includes stage crew Aimee Albrecht and set builders Mike and Jim Skiles. The two men in the two-man show are portrayed by Richmond Hill regulars Patrick Kelley (Of Mice & Men, The Seafarer) as the lawyer and James Driscoll (Blithe Spirit, All My Sons) as the actor. You might also spot Tifany Simosky as the frightening figure of the title, with Aimee Albrecht providing the specter's vocals.
The Woman in Black runs at Geneseo's Richmond Hill Barn Theatre October 2 through 12, with performances Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Admission is $12, and more information and tickets are available by calling (309)944-2244 and visiting RHPlayers.com.
