13 facts about The Woman in Black
Published on 9 August 2019
Last updated on 14 August 2025
The Woman in Black was a longterm fixture in the West End at London’s Fortune Theatre. To celebrate its upcoming and brief return to London this October we’ve put together a list of 13 facts you probably didn’t know about one of London’s spookiest shows, The Woman in Black.
Top The Woman in Black Facts
1. The Woman in Black premiered in 1987 and is based on a gothic novel by Susan Hill of the same name.
2. The play was originally adapted by Stephen Mallatratt as a cheap Christmas play intended to use the remains of the grant money the theatre had received.
3. The entire production budget of the original 3-week run of The Woman in Black, including actors, costumes and sets, could not exceed £1,000.
4. In order to stick to the tight budget Mallatratt conceived the story as a play within a play, the show has only 2 actors who portray a dozen characters.
5. Mallatratt also worked as a television screenwriter for Coronation Street. He died of leukaemia in 2004.
6. After a sold-out three week run at its Scarborough premiere over the 1987-88 holiday season, the show transferred to London in January 1989.
7. After an initial Off-West End opening The Woman in Black moved to the Fortune Theatre on 7 June 1989 and has had its West End home there until closing on March 4, 2023, after running for 33 years
8. The Woman in Black is the 2nd longest-running play in the West End after The Mousetrap, the show was in long-time home at the Fortune Theatre for 30 over years.
9. Over the years some incredible actors have taken their turn The Woman in Black. Some of these actors include Joseph Fiennes who played The Actor in 1993 (American Horror Story, The Handmaid’s Tale, Shakespeare in Love) and Martin Freeman who played The Actor in 1997 (The Office, Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit, Sherlock).
10. The incredibly successful stage play spawned a 2012 film adaptation starring Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe.
11. The 2012 film led to a 2015 movie sequel: The Woman in Black: Angel of Death with a screenplay by Jon Croker from a story by Susan Hill starring Phoebe Fox, Jeremy Irvine, Helen McCrory, Adrian Rawlins, Leanne Best, and Ned Dennehy.
12. This sequel film lead to a film novelisation, published by Hammer Books and written by crime fiction author Martyn Waites
and lucky number thirteen:
13. The iconic gothic horror is set to return to London this autumn, for a strictly limited run at the Alexandra Palace Theatre from 8 - 25 October 2025. Book your tickets today - it's the ultimate spooky season treat.
By Hay Brunsdon
I've 15 years of writing and editorial experience, and starting working in the West End theatre industry in 2012. When not watching or writing about theatre I'm usually swimming, hiking, running, or training for triathlons in the Stroud valleys.