Bringing a Ghost Story to Life: Directing and Designing
The Woman in Black
PLOT SYNOPSIS: While attending the funeral of an elderly recluse, attorney Arthur Kipps encounters the spirit of a woman dressed in black that terrifies the town of Crythin Gifford. Years later, haunted by this experience, he hires an actor to help him tell the story and “exorcise” his past. Set in an abandoned Victorian theater, they reenact a series of chilling events to provide a more vivid account for his eventual audience.
Dramaturgy
As part of Benjamin's dramaturgical work, it was important for this production to recognize the two stories woven into the play of The Woman in Black; half the narrative is set in 1983 and the other in 1951. These dates are not provided in the script or novel, but were selected based on script analysis and additional research. During the scenes set in 1983, Arthur Kipps is in his late 50s when he hires an acting coach to help him deliver a reading of his manuscript to his close friends and family. When Mr. Kipps and the acting coach read the manuscript aloud, the excerpts are from the original novel written by Susan Hill in 1983. The acting coach jokes that it would take 5 hours to read aloud, which is also the exact duration of the novel in an audiobook format. During the reenacted events of 1951, the acting coach assumes the role of the young Arthur Kipps who encounters the malevolent spirit of Jennet Humfrye while the actual Arthur Kipps plays the role of everyone else. Benjamin established the date as 1951 because Ms. Humfrye is revealed to have died in “nineteen-o-something,” and one of the townsfolk expounds upon how her haunting has lasted “fifty years” since her passing. Benjamin decided on 1951 after following the chronological order of the play and novel as well as the additional elements that fit within the period of the selected dates.
Directing
The first time Benjamin toured his university's theater as a prospective student, he knew he had to direct a play at the University of Richmond. For his capstone project at the University of Richmond theatre department, Benjamin directed a production of The Woman in Black written by Susan Hill and adapted by Stephen Mallatratt. Upon first reading the story, the dynamic interplay between the two lead characters drew him in– seeing how the actors could use their imagination to navigate the world portrayed in the play and its horrors. After pitching the production in 2023, and spending two years developing it, Benjamin was overjoyed to see the show come to life in February 2025. Benjamin dedicated his time at the University of Richmond to elevating his acting and design skills, allowing him to develop a unique style as a director. This has also enabled him to effectively communicate and discuss ideas with a creative team. Benjamin sees plays in images that evoke a form of connection between characters, the space, and the audience. He views that it is his job as a director to help articulate these moments so that the imagination of the audience is encouraged to find joy through discovery, fear through omission, or empathy through association.
The cast and production team of The Woman in Black.
Arthur Kipps (Jeff Clevenger, left) hires an acting coach (David Hensley, right) to rehearse a manuscript detailing the events of his encounter with Jennet Humfrye’s ghost in an abandoned theater.
Arthur Kipps (Jeff Clevenger) takes on the role of Tomes (left) and Bentley (right) while the acting coach (David Hensley) becomes the younger version of Arthur Kipps to reenact the story starting in a solicitor’s office in London.
Young Arthur Kipps (David Hensley, right) and Sam Daily (Jeff Clevenger, left) meet on a train from London to Crythin Gifford.
The acting coach (David Hensley, right) and Arthur (Jeff Clevenger, left) find connection through their love for their families.
The ghost of Jennet Humfrye (Caroline Perry) descends down the center aisle of the audience and onto the stage while following young Arthur Kipps and Jerome attending the funeral of Alice Drablow. Benjamin created a bouquet of flowers with a smoke machine inside so fog would wash over her like a specter.
Jerome (Jeff Clevenger, left) cowers and drags young Arthur Kipps (David Hensley, right) after the woman in black appears in the graveyard.
Young Arthur Kipps (David Hensley) writes a letter to his beloved Stella when he first arrives in the town of Crythin Gifford in the image to the left. In the image to the right, Keckwick (Jeff Clevenger, left) and Arthur (right) travel across the marshes to the Drablow manor on a pony and trap.
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Fog engulfs the stage throughout the performance to transport the audience to different settings, especially to conceal the ghost of the woman in black and scare Arthur and the audience as he explores the estate.
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Arthur Kipps (David Hensley) navigates the Drablow estate and discovers the grave of Jennet Humfrye. He later retreats from the fog with the help of Keckwick (Jeff Clevenger).
Arthur Kipps (David Hensley) is lured into the marshlands to save Sam Daily’s dog from drowning as he wades through the muck to save the pup.
Arthur Kipps (David Hensley) returns to a suddenly destroyed nursery in Alice Drablow's home.
By the end of his venture, Young Arthur Kipps (David Hensley, right) uncovers the tragic story of the woman in black and her terrible curse that inflicts the families of Crythin Gifford.
Arthur Kipps (David Hensley) is haunted by his encounter and batttles a vicious nightmare after passing out at Sam Daily's home. After his visions subside, he concludes the story by recounting how the ghost's curse has followed him to this day.
