13 facts about The Woman in Black
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(Updated on 14 Aug 2025)
[***The Woman in Black***](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/play/189/the-woman-in-black-tickets.aspx) was a longterm fixture in the West End at [**London’s Fortune Theatre**](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/venue/52/fortune-theatre.aspx). 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**](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/tickets/halloween-shows-in-london), *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***](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/play/27/the-mousetrap-tickets.aspx), 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](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/venue/alexandra-palace-theatre-london) from 8 - 25 October 2025. Book your tickets today - it's the ultimate spooky season treat.
🎟**[Purchase your *The Woman in Black* tickets now](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/play/189/the-woman-in-black-tickets.aspx)**!