The Woman in Black: Archive Images
This is a collection of archive material, posters, rehearsal and production images pertaining to the world premiere of The Woman in Black at the Stephen Joseph Theatre in the Round and its subsequent revivals at the Stephen Joseph Theatre.Much of the material highlighted on this page is held by Scarborough Theatre Trust and gratefully reproduced.
The Woman in Black
Stephen Mallatratt, the adaptor of The Woman in Black. Stephen was the resident playwright at the Stephen Joseph Theatre in the Round and suggested adapting the book in 1986.
Photographer: To be confirmed
Holding: The Alan Ayckbourn Archive
Do not reproduce images without permission of the copyright holder.
Photographer: To be confirmed
Holding: The Alan Ayckbourn Archive
Do not reproduce images without permission of the copyright holder.
An extract from the contract for the original production of The Woman in Black. Notoriously, the Stephen Joseph Theatre in the Round did not benefit from the subsequent success of the play and the contract, held in archive at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, shows all rights to the play were divided between the author and adaptor with no rights attributed to the theatre company.
Copyright: Scarborough Theatre Trust
Holding: The Bob Watson Archive
Do not reproduce images without permission of the copyright holder.
Copyright: Scarborough Theatre Trust
Holding: The Bob Watson Archive
Do not reproduce images without permission of the copyright holder.
An advert for the world premiere production of The Woman in Black carried in The Scarborough Evening News during December 1987. Note the mention of Susan Hill signing copies of the book at the theatre.
Copyright: Scarborough Theatre Trust
Holding: The Bob Watson Archive
Do not reproduce images without permission of the copyright holder.
Copyright: Scarborough Theatre Trust
Holding: The Bob Watson Archive
Do not reproduce images without permission of the copyright holder.
The poster and programme cover for the world premiere programme of The Woman in Black. If you look closely on the gravestone, you can see an error with the character of Jennet Humfrye named Jennet Drablow. You can also make out the name of the actress who played the original woman in black.
Copyright: Scarborough Theatre Trust
Holding: The Bob Watson Archive
Do not reproduce images without permission of the copyright holder.
Copyright: Scarborough Theatre Trust
Holding: The Bob Watson Archive
Do not reproduce images without permission of the copyright holder.
A rare image from the world premiere of The Woman in Black at the Stephen Joseph Theatre in the Round. The image features Jon Strickland as 'the Actor' and Dominic Letts as Kipps.
Copyright: Scarborough Theatre Trust
Holding: The Bob Watson Archive
Do not reproduce images without permission of the copyright holder.
Copyright: Scarborough Theatre Trust
Holding: The Bob Watson Archive
Do not reproduce images without permission of the copyright holder.
The credits page from the programme for the world premiere of The Woman in Black at the Stephen Joseph Theatre in the Round. Here the company cleverly worked around the Equity requirement to name all actors in a piece - as the woman in black herself is a ghost and not supposed to be real. To get round this, the actress - Lesley Meade - was not listed with the actors but in the technical section as, what else, but Vision.
Copyright: Scarborough Theatre Trust
Holding: The Bob Watson Archive
Do not reproduce images without permission of the copyright holder.
Copyright: Scarborough Theatre Trust
Holding: The Bob Watson Archive
Do not reproduce images without permission of the copyright holder.
A very rare image of the original woman in black at the climax of the play. The role was played by the actor Lesley Meade, wife of the director, Robin Herford. She also recorded the voice of Jennet Humfrye for the readings of her letters during the play.
Copyright: Scarborough Theatre Trust
Holding: The Bob Watson Archive
Do not reproduce images without permission of the copyright holder.
Copyright: Scarborough Theatre Trust
Holding: The Bob Watson Archive
Do not reproduce images without permission of the copyright holder.
The cast for the 1997 revival of The Woman in Black with Peter Laird (left) and a young Martin Freeman, long before he made his name as a major and ward-winning stage and screen actor.
Copyright: The Scarborough News
Holding: The Ayckbourn Archive at the Borthwick Institute for Archives
Do not reproduce images without permission of the copyright holder.
Copyright: The Scarborough News
Holding: The Ayckbourn Archive at the Borthwick Institute for Archives
Do not reproduce images without permission of the copyright holder.
The poster and programme cover for the Stephen Joseph Theatre's 2015 revival of The Woman in Black to mark the company's 60th anniversary. The poster, featuring Tom Godwin - who played Kipps - would be subsequently used by the West End production.
Copyright: Scarborough Theatre Trust
Holding: The Bob Watson Archive
Do not reproduce images without permission of the copyright holder.
Copyright: Scarborough Theatre Trust
Holding: The Bob Watson Archive
Do not reproduce images without permission of the copyright holder.
Christopher Godwin as the 'actor' and Tom Godwin as Kipps in the Stephen Joseph Theatre's 2015 revival of The Woman in Black. This marked the first time a father and son had performed the two roles in the play.
Photographer: Tony Bartholomew (© Tony Bartholomew)
Holding: The Bob Watson Archive
Do not reproduce images without permission of the copyright holder.
Photographer: Tony Bartholomew (© Tony Bartholomew)
Holding: The Bob Watson Archive
Do not reproduce images without permission of the copyright holder.
"I had seen the ghost of Jennet Humfrye, and she had had her revenge."
The Archive Images page for The Woman in Black is made possible with the kind permission Scarborough Theatre Trust.
All images on this page are copyright of the respective and labelled individual / organisation and should not be reproduced without permission.
All images on this page are copyright of the respective and labelled individual / organisation and should not be reproduced without permission.