Review: THE WOMAN IN BLACK at Florida Repertory Theatre is Superbly Spooky

THE WOMAN IN BLACK at Florida Repertory Theatre, directed by Steve Pacek, tells the story of Arthur Kipps, who has been haunted by a dark past and is desperate to rid himself of it by having his story told. He enlists the help of a young actor, who then plays younger Arthur Kipps while the older Arthur Kipps plays the rest of the people he encountered, for the purpose of their reenactment.

David Darrow and V Craig Heidenreich star in this production, and they are a fantastic, dynamic duo. Darrow shows such passion and depth in his performance, and he is captivating to watch. He previously starred as Monty in Florida Rep's production of A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, which was their last professional production on this stage before the COVID pandemic. It feels very full-circle that he is now starring in their first professional production back on this stage, and he is a wonderful talent to watch. Heidenreich has a huge task in playing so many different roles in the story, and he does so well by wearing different costume pieces and switching up his voice and mannerisms.

This is a very story and dialogue-heavy production, but I found that aspect allowed for more imagination. By using creative sounds and lights for this play-within-the-play, the story was brought to life. It is a rather heartbreaking story, but the spooky entertainment brings such a thrill.

The perfectly-fitting set was designed by Jim Hunter, with lighting by Alyssandra Docherty, sound by Joel Abbott, and costumes by Jill Parzych. All aspects of the show truly transported you into this world and the story, which I appreciated very much.

This production had me on the edge of my seat. Yes, it is a bit scary (though I didn't think it was overly so), but the climactic moment of realization of the story's depth is so intense and well-done. I really enjoyed it, and recommend checking it out while it's running in Florida Rep's Historic Arcade Theatre, through November 14!

How To Get Tickets

For more information and to purchase tickets, click here: https://www.floridarep.org/the-season/the-woman-in-black/

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