7,052 posts
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Post by Jon on Nov 14, 2022 22:05:43 GMT
This is gonna sound very sappy, but man this news really hurts. This show really means a lot to me, it's one of the few plays that I consider near perfection and I always gush whenever I talk to someone about it. I'm sure it will return to the West End, as what Jon said, but it's still so disheartening to hear the news of a giant of the London theatre scene finally come to an end after a 33 year run. If it does return, I will definitely see it in it's new home, but it's hard to imagine it anywhere else, other than the Fortune. I have the opposite view, it's had a great run but I'm also excited for a new show to go into the Fortune. Theatre is always changing and shows closing is a natural part of that process otherwise the West End shows just become museum pieces. |
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Post by westendboy on Nov 18, 2022 21:16:52 GMT
This is gonna sound very sappy, but man this news really hurts. This show really means a lot to me, it's one of the few plays that I consider near perfection and I always gush whenever I talk to someone about it. I'm sure it will return to the West End, as what Jon said, but it's still so disheartening to hear the news of a giant of the London theatre scene finally come to an end after a 33 year run. If it does return, I will definitely see it in it's new home, but it's hard to imagine it anywhere else, other than the Fortune. I have the opposite view, it's had a great run but I'm also excited for a new show to go into the Fortune. Theatre is always changing and shows closing is a natural part of that process otherwise the West End shows just become museum pieces. I understand where your coming from and agree that show's shouldn't necessarily become 'museum pieces', but for me it will just feel like a piece of the heart of London theatre will be missing once this show closes. 33 years is amazing, especially for a straight play, but the West End may not feel entirely the same without this spooky classic. I know I'm probably sounding like a proper sentimentalist, but I always love to see this show get the love and appreciation it deserves. If (or perhaps when) it will return, I wonder what venue would take it? I'm sure there would be plenty that would want it and if so, would it have another continuous run? I also wonder if the producers will ever consider bringing the show Broadway, as it has played off-Broadway and the states before. It probably would garner more attention from the Americans, if it's successful enough. |
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Post by westendboy on Mar 3, 2023 13:25:23 GMT
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Post by interval99 on Mar 3, 2023 13:51:33 GMT
Any board members going to the last day of this show on Saturday. Tickets went quickly but hopefully they will mark the occasion in someway.
Great it's going on tour and it's a play you can see doing the rounds every few years for sometime ahead.
Hopefully they have reached settlement with the woman in black now the run has ended, knowing how superstitious actors can be they won't won't to be in a theatre where the previous leading lady still haunts it's stage.
An amazing run and wonderful adaptation of a great little book, simply but effectively staged and letting the audience imagination run free and causing all ages to jump in shock.
Also been a great chance when I have seen it of seeing a veteran actor have another star turn and launch a new actor career onto the stage.
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Post by interval99 on Mar 3, 2023 14:03:39 GMT
While it only goes up to 2019 the wib website does have a role call of all the actors covering the roles of the actor and Mr Kipp's over the run from 1987. thewomaninblack.com/about/roll-of-honourSome great names and some I wish I had seen in it. My first view of the play was the tour at bath theatre royal. Need to lookup who played the actor but Mr Kipp's was John Duttine. |
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1,481 posts
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Post by steve10086 on Mar 5, 2023 8:20:47 GMT
Saw the final matinee of the show yesterday. I’d seen the original cast at The Fortune in 1989, and a number of casts since then, and I thought it was still going very strong yesterday. I know it’s good to have new things in the West End, but I don’t think having such a good little play taking up the smallest of theatres was a problem. Will be sad not to see the signs for it next time I pass that way.
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Post by westendboy on Mar 5, 2023 14:47:25 GMT
Saw the final matinee of the show yesterday. I’d seen the original cast at The Fortune in 1989, and a number of casts since then, and I thought it was still going very strong yesterday. I know it’s good to have new things in the West End, but I don’t think having such a good little play taking up the smallest of theatres was a problem. Will be sad not to see the signs for it next time I pass that way. I've seen this show a total of five times now (3 at the Fortune and twice on tour) and it'll never get old or tiring to me. It was one of the first West End productions I had ever seen and one of the first to spark my love for the theatre scene. It will feel weird not seeing it advertised around London, or it the signs outside the Fortune. It was such a perfect venue for this show, it's small size adding to both the intimacy and claustrophobia that I don't think can be full replicated in other venues. This of course won't be the last we'll see of this play, thanks to the upcoming UK tour later this year. If interest in the show is still there after the tour ends, we may be lucky to see it's return to London sooner rather than later, hopefully a triumphant return to the Fortune itself. But only time will tell. In the meantime, let's celebrate this show's legacy and how much it's done for the theatre scene. ...that was probably the most overly sentimental and pretentious thing I have ever wrote. |
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Post by westendboy on Sept 6, 2023 14:13:47 GMT
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3,303 posts
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Post by david on Dec 6, 2023 19:33:12 GMT
Susan Hill's classic ghost story is this years festive period show at the Liverpool Playhouse so I popped down last night for a watch on its 1st night. Having seen it both at the Fortune and on tour, for me it never fails to disappoint and this viewing was no different. The intimacy of the theatre's auditorium just adds to the atmosphere.
It is just a great story and the simplicity of the staging still offers a great night out with plenty of jump scares that still work no matter how many times you have watched it. Having a few school groups in last night certainly added to the atmosphere with plenty of screams from them throughout the play.
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Post by hannechalk on Dec 12, 2023 22:41:51 GMT
I saw this at the Playhouse in Liverpool tonight, and it was superb! Never seen anything as scary in a theatre my life!
Just two actors (or is it three?), simple staging, showing what excellent storytelling, lighting and sound can do!
Only downside was the smatterings of ladies on a glass or two, who'd laugh and titter after each scary bit. Yes, you jump, but you don't titter about it for minutes afterwards.
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