BOO! Did that scare you? Did you jump? I didn't think so, and now you know the overall effect of The Woman in Black. There are a few horrific moments here, such as a particularly silence-shattering thunderclap early in the proceedings and a couple of piercing screams later on. But I'd wager that I could make you jump by creeping up on you unawares and shrieking in your ear, too. It would also make you think I was trying a relatively cheap scare tactic.

The Woman in Black, described in the program as a ghost story, is mild stuff unlikely to cause you any sleep deprivation. In fact, it might actually help lull you into a somnambulant state--during the show. And this is a work (adapted [...]