Interview: The Woman In Black’s Stuart Fox

Following the West End premiere of Stephen Mallatratt’s play in 1989, **[The Woman in Black](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/play/189/Woman-In-Black-tickets.aspx)** has celebrated a twenty-five year West End run and has been seen by over 7 million people. The show is described as “one of the most exciting, gripping and successful theatre events ever staged”. Stuart speaks to London Theatre Direct about when he first saw **[The Woman In Black](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/play/189/Woman-In-Black-tickets.aspx)**, how he unwinds from the show and why he thinks the play has been so incredibly successful… **When did you first see [The Woman in Black](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/play/189/Woman-In-Black-tickets.aspx)?** I saw the show about 3 years ago. I’ve a lot of friends who’ve been in it and they’ve all said what a great experience it is. **What were your first impressions?** I thought it was very clever. The show within a show idea is inspired. It was hugely atmospheric; the auditorium and the stage suck you into this creepy dark world where you’re never sure what’s going to happen next. **How do the different audiences compare?** I love the screaming from school parties and miss it at the weekends. During the second half I spend a fair amount of time tucked in behind the proscenium arch and get to hear all sorts of things from the audience; such as ‘Oh for Christ’s sake, there she is!’ ‘I can’t take this anymore’; ‘Oh for pity’s sake what are you doing?’ ‘He’s going back in there’; ‘Oh no please not that please no!’ **Can eight performances a week be exhausting?** I certainly feel a little tired after the final show on Saturday and I enjoy my two days off. I play guitar relentlessly. The atmosphere working on the show is very warm and friendly. The small scale of the setup makes for a family atmosphere. **Is it possible for you to put your finger on the show’s incredible success? It certainly doesn’t feel dated!** With it being a three hander with no lavish sets to operate and maintain means it can keep going in difficult times when other more expensive shows might falter. It’s a timeless show and we’re all fascinated by ghosts. We love the thrill of the seemingly impossible presence of a dead woman bent on revenge for something that happened back in the murky past. **[The Woman in Black](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/play/189/Woman-In-Black-tickets.aspx) has such wide appeal, how do you think audiences should come away feeling after watching the show?** They should feel wrung out and impressed by the journey they’ve been on being created by just three people. Interview by Andrew Tomlins **[The Woman in Black tickets](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/play/189/Woman-In-Black-tickets.aspx)** are available now, booking at the **[Fortune Theatre](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/venue/52/Fortune-Theatre.aspx)** until Saturday 25th July 2015. - For more from **[The Woman In Black cast](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/play/189/Woman-In-Black-tickets.aspx)**, read Andrew's recent **[Interview: The Woman In Black's Gwynfor Jones](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/news/1507/Interview--The-Woman-In-Black-s-Gwynfor-Jones.aspx)**