NEWS TICKER
The Woman in Black Returns for 22-Venue UK Tour This Autumn
Published on
August 6, 2025
By
Julia Jordan
Chilling Stage Classic Opens at Storyhouse Chester in September
Susan Hill’s The Woman in Black, one of the most successful British stage thrillers of all time, is returning to UK theatres this autumn. The new tour opens at Storyhouse in Chester on 24 September 2025, ahead of an extensive run across 22 venues nationwide.
This eerie and atmospheric adaptation by Stephen Mallatratt ran in the West End for over 33 years, making it one of the longest-running plays in British theatre history, with more than 13,000 performances at London’s Fortune Theatre. It has since been seen by over 7 million people in the UK alone.
Leading Cast Announced
The 2025/26 tour will star:
John Mackay as Arthur Kipps
Daniel Burke as The Actor

Mackay’s extensive theatre credits include The Doctor (West End and New York), Witness for the Prosecution, Richard II, and many productions with the Royal Shakespeare Company. His television credits include Doctor Who, The Crown, and Bridgerton.

Burke has appeared in the UK tour of The Girl on the Train, as well as Troilus and Cressida and Imperium for the RSC. TV appearances include The Witcher and The Rings of Power.
A Terrifying Tale Brought to Life
In The Woman in Black, a grieving solicitor hires a young actor to help him recount a terrifying experience from his past—an encounter with a mysterious woman dressed in black whom he believes cursed his family. What begins as a simple storytelling exercise slowly unravels into a chilling theatrical nightmare as the boundary between memory and reality disappears.
The production is directed by Robin Herford, with design by Michael Holt and lighting by Kevin Sleep—the original creative team behind the play’s earliest stagings.
Tour Dates and Cities
Following Chester and Shrewsbury, the show visits:
London (Alexandra Palace)
Barnstaple
Plymouth
Brighton
Richmond
Bath
And in 2026:
Darlington
York
Glasgow
Birmingham
Chelmsford
Oxford
Poole
Liverpool
Nottingham
Bradford
Peterborough
Malvern
Southampton
Guildford
More venues and booking information are available online.
With its spine-tingling storytelling, haunting visuals, and masterful performances, The Woman in Black continues to prove why it remains one of the UK’s most enduring theatrical experiences. Don’t miss your chance to see this modern classic on tour.
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