Preview

The Woman in Black

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1759 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Woman in Black
Unit 2 response to a live performance – The Woman in Black

On Thursday the 28th February we went to see a production of The Woman in Black at York Theatre Royal. The Woman in Black is a thriller, which was taken from the novel by Susan Hill. It was about a solicitor who is sent to look at the legal documents of an old lady who has recently died in a large house. When the man checks the documents he is locked in and haunted by the spectral "woman in black" and slowly uncovers the horrific secrets that lie within the house.
Set and Props
In the theatre play there were many props used and some of them were used as many things for example the wicker basket in act 1 was consistently used as a pony and trap and then soon became a train, after this it turned into a trunk with loads of papers in it. In act 2 the basket was used as a desk, a table and a bed, also was used as the pony and trap again. These are using mime to make the things they turned the basket into more believable and more interesting and this also triggered our imagination to think what those things are. Some other props used were 2 chairs, 1 stool and a walking stick. Using the wicker basket at loads of different times in the play makes us as the audience want to watch on because you never know what it is going to be next and it is more exciting, also it makes it easier for the actors to move it during their performance. During act 2 the door turned into a prop, as they started using it. It turned into a prop when the man acting out Arthur kipps was shining the torch light on the door and walking towards it, the door flung open, this was to create a more nervy, scary atmosphere and by doing this I think it was leaving questions in the audience whether it was the women in black or not. At the beginning the set was mucky. There were many old features suggesting that no one has visited that house in years and this could show what houses in that era would have been like. Even though the set was basic,

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Fearless Play Analysis

    • 720 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Harrison’s stage directions gives the performers room to powerfully use the props and sets to symbolize the true feelings of each character. I experienced this from watching a production of “Stolen” by the Sydney Theatre Company. The five actors were always repositioning their beds in the institution across the stage to highlight how stability and security were unavailable to them in the ‘homes’, this also showed the emotional impact on each character of always feeling like they are hiding or on the run from authority figures. As an audience member I really felt each characters pain through the directors use of the elements of drama within the performance, it added a perception of realism and deepness to each characters aura.…

    • 720 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    During the first session of studying ‘The Woman in Black’ we looked at the use of space and how it can be symbolic and relevant to display the characters emotions and character relationships. We explored different understandings of the play, themes and character through this for example, in Imogen, Jade and Fliss’s group when Kipps (Jade) was asking about the woman, Jerome (Imogen) backed away from Kipps, widening the space between them to show that he was afraid and physically backing away from the issue. This gave the audience the impression that Jerome knew something, but he was holding it back in fear of a ‘new comer’ finding out, which added to the tension and suspense of the Woman herself. We also…

    • 480 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The lower level was connected to an upper balcony section by two staircases at the left and right edges of the stage. Above the balcony hung 5 projector screens arranged close together in a non aligned ‘x’ shaped pattern. These screens sometimes were used to display photographs taken by Bobby, showing the people he was thinking about on stage. Other times the screens contained solid colors representing windows when blue or green background lights for a night club. The backdrop behind the whole set was a beige brick wall often lit with a blue or purple light. The actors exchanged out a few key props between scenes to represent the new location. In partial realistic style, a single bed, couch, table or bench was the only stage props used to represent an individual scene. This was effective in conveying most locations, although the bench was used in multiple locations, from a busy subway for the “Another Hundred People” to a quiet park for the scene with Kathy. This overuse caused some confusion as to where the scenes with benches were taking…

    • 1010 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    As well the multicolored colored glass window will be used to convey change in time as light will resemble day time and night will be a lunar figure. Also the stage lights will have a variety of colors to match the colors of the Christmas lights and will focus on actors when the actor will discuss a serious matter like the danger of AIDS. An example of the light use is found on the beginning of act two when Mark’s mom receives a single light on her during darkness to show focus like a long distance call is occurring. In order to create a more realistic geographic location the backdrop that hides the backstage will be made of real looking brick wall paper as the setting use to be a publishing factory. Additionally the orchestra pit will play music reflecting the mood of a scene and many of the extras titled as “COMPANY’ will be adding emphasis to actions as they will be reacting and acting in the play as well. With the mixture of design elements the audience will grasp the feeling of Christmas time and the focus to the actor’s…

    • 333 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Ibsen uses props in the play to reveal information about the characters that would usually go unnoticed or would be more difficult to understand. The six props I am going to be talking about are the slippers, the hat, the portrait, the photo album, the manuscript and the pistols.…

    • 2017 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    John Steinbeck's No Exit

    • 1110 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The stage was set up differently as well I expected I was expecting it be set up on the stage space with 3 walls one of the walls would house a fireplace that holds the statue, the three couches, and a small table with the letter opener on it and a door on one wall. Instead of that I was surprised with a square stage with a stair case twisting upward, three stools and a banister that has the statue and the letter opener. The entire stage was wrapped in string going in all directions that caused seeing what was happening on stage at times to be hard to…

    • 1110 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Reflection: “Mary Had a Little Ham”/ “The Snow Queen” “Mary Had a Little Ham” is the story of a barnyard pig that wants to be a Broadway star and eventually brings his dream to realization, thanks to a little girl at the barn named Mary who believes in him. He sings a lot about how he wants to leave his home, and “get out of the slop.” His two pig siblings doubt him and mock him until he is successful, then they suddenly love him. It reminded me of Rudolph’s “other reindeer”. Throughout the play, there are many short musical numbers.…

    • 1207 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Woman in Black

    • 3204 Words
    • 13 Pages

    o The sister of Alice Drablow who pregnant out of wedlock. This was a huge shame to the family so they decided that Jennet would be sent to Scotland and Mr. and Mrs. Drablow would bring up her child.…

    • 3204 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Black Sequin Dress

    • 1864 Words
    • 8 Pages

    The Black Sequin Dress takes us on a journey through the psychic state of a suburban housewife. The audience is taken to the setting of a nightclub where the woman falls and is rendered unconscious. As the play progresses we watch as the main character delves into her own subconscious within the underworld her mind has created. The woman encounters her deep-seated issues in regards to her identity and is also faced with her sensuality and hidden desires (Wright, T. 1996). The audience is taken through an interconnection of her memory and an imagined reality, as the woman in the black sequin dress proceeds through a journey of self-exploration.…

    • 1864 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Woman In Black

    • 752 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Adrian Rawlins plays the role of a young solicitor, Arthur Kipp in this film. He can also be seen playing…

    • 752 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Richard Iii

    • 934 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The way the characters were introduced to the audience was one of my favorite parts of the show. Fifteen televisions stacked on the left side of the stage were turned on and several scenes played. These scenes set the tone and gave us background information. I thought that was a very clever way to accomplish those things, but wish the screens had been easier to see. Other than the gaggle of televisions, the set was fairly plain. I liked this a lot though because I feel like it gives the show a deeper creative element as they use what little props on stage to create a visual. For example, in the second act Richard and Richmond go into battle, leaving the city in ruin. The crew was able to portray this with flashing lights, loud sounds and packing peanuts. Another aspect of the set that I liked was the room on the right side of the stage. It was used as a hospital room and tower that housed King Edwards two sons, supposedly for their safety. Death fell upon all the occupants of this little chamber.…

    • 934 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Woman in Black

    • 537 Words
    • 3 Pages

    An element to ANY ghost story is the recurrent conspiracy of silence, though not as scary atmosphere as later Arthur is condemned to a short silence upon triggering his haunting memories of his ghostly tale. A difference is shown when he previously feels a peaceful cheery family area until he resorts to feeling “an outsider to the circle”. Helping the rear to pitch the situation more, with the noun “outsider” heightening his uncomfortable feel of isolation. This to cause him to take a journey to the town, to see what’s going on. Surprisingly, it was a good thing to do.…

    • 537 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The play was set up in a blackbox room. This means that they can design the set in specific ways that a typical theater can't be arranged in. This set was in the corner with two rows of seats facing it. The set was completely black and there was nothing…

    • 795 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Woman In Black has been frightening audiences in the West End for 25 years, and it shows no signs of slowing down. The story is written by Susan Hill and the play is written by Stephen Mallatratt. It tells the story of a lawyer who believes he is haunted by a curse in the form of the woman in black. He has written his story and presents it to an intrigued but sceptical actor. The actor agrees to perform the lawyer’s memories to help the aging man come to terms with his past.…

    • 599 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Spectacle

    • 828 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The clothes help the audience understand when the play is taking place. The audience might also understand the play is taking place in the 1940’s because of the words used in the play. Lighting makes the play feel like real life. Lights are usually used in a very basic way, however The Glass Menagerie uses the lights in a very unique way. Being trapped in a memory is the theme of the play, so whenever a memory is happening the lights become dimmer. This helps us related to our own lives, as we might be thinking of a dark and vague memory. Spectacle in a play is much like makeup on a lady. It adds to the confidence of the play and also makes it much more…

    • 828 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays