Although Halloween has come and gone, SMU’s StudentTheatre wants you to prepare to be scared.
This weekend, the group will present the critically acclaimedfright delight “The Woman in Black,” an exciting,gripping and successful play based on the best selling novel bySusan Hill.
“The Woman in Black” tells the story of ArthurKipps, a man who believes that a curse has been cast over him.
The character, played by junior Michael Yeshion, engages askeptical young actor, played by junior Byron Melton, to helphim tell his terrifying story and exorcise the fear that grips hissoul.
As they reach further into Kipp’s darkest memories about amysterious woman in black, they find themselves caught in a worldof eerie marshes and moaning winds.
The borders between make believe and reality begin to blur,and the flesh begins to creep — all of which, SMUST hopes,will frighten the audience.
There is an aspect of mystery surrounding “The Womanin Black,” and the students in the show have worked tokeep it that way.
Director Allison Darby only released the names of two actorsinvolved with the show and has kept the others top secret— the ghosts involved with this production have beenvery quiet; even the check-in sheet for the ghost characterhas been mysterious. The actor playing the ghost goes as far as tomark the sheet with little scribbles.
Although the play is somewhat scary, the piece is purelyescapist. The director wanted to relax with this ghost genre; thereis no huge message to be gained from the show.
“I’m putting on this play for pure audienceenjoyment,” Darby said.
She said that the audience should just sit back, relax and enjoythe roller coaster.
“The author is very good at lulling the audience into acalming state and then scaring them,” she said.
The play combines the power of theater with the intensity ofnarrative storytelling.
Since its debut in the West End 20 years ago, the show hasremained one of the most brilliantly effective spine chillers anaudience can encounter.
“The Woman in Black” will run at 4:15 p.m. on Fridayand at 10 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday in studio B450 in the MeadowsSchool of the Arts.
