Actor Malcolm James on his role in Woman In Black

Last time Malcolm James was treading the boards at the Oxford Playhouse it was as a student. Now he’s the lead in the West End tour Woman In Black, which the 58 year-old admits, does give him a certain satisfaction.

Having studied modern history at Magdalen College, he immersed himself in 13 shows during his three years at university, acceding that he “probably should have been doing a bit more work, considering there were only eight weeks in a term, but I love acting. I loved it at school. I loved it at university and I love it now.”

It obviously paid off, having landed a part in one of the most famous West End plays of all time as Arthur Kipps, one of two actors in the spine-tinglingly scary play Woman In Black, based on the book by former Oxford author Susan Hill.

So what’s it like scaring the living daylights out of people night after night?

“Well, there is quite a lot of humour and wit in the opening sections, to lull people into a false sense of security,” he laughs. “But it is fascinating how people’s reactions vary. Sometimes the audience is very vocal and gets carried away, especially when we have school children in because it is a GCSE text and they sometimes try to outscream each other. Or there is a really weighted silence that makes people jump. But there is always a feeling of dread, of suspense, and its very psychological. It is a roller-coaster of a show.”

It’s also a runaway success. So why do people like being taken out of their comfort zone? “People like to be terrified in a safe environment like a theatre. It means we can face our darkest fears and then go home again afterwards.”

As for Malcolm, he is immune to it now, although he said it was “a bit creepy in rehearsals”, and enjoys knowing when the big moments are coming, waiting for the audience’s reaction. “We had a funny moment in Crewe last week when a woman shouted out ‘that’s done it for me.’ And there has been the odd person carried out hyperventilating, but the ones that stick it out say it’s very effective. And it is. It really works. I first saw it four years ago so was thrilled with the challenge when offered the part.”

The Woman in Black tells the story of Arthur Kipps, a young solicitor from London, sent to the North East to deal with some private papers when he encounters a woman In black and begins to lose his sanity. He later enrols the services of a young actor to re-enact his experiences and so purge himself of the entire episode.

Playing seven characters in all, Malcolm therefore needs to keep his wits about him: “It’s a very technical show and has to run like clockwork, plus there are lots of costume changes,” which he says continue to be a challenge.

While in Oxford however, Malcolm can’t wait to take the cast round his former college and show them the sights, sneaking in a pint at the Eagle and Child or the Kings Arms. 

“There is a certain sense of vindication in coming back because I didn’t know what I wanted to do back then, or where it would take me, but I knew enough to give it a go and I have done just that.”

SEE IT
The Woman in Black comes to Oxford’s Playhouse from January 26-31.
Call the box office on 01865 305305 or see oxfordplayhouse.com

• Do you want alerts delivered straight to your phone via our WhatsApp service? Text NEWS or SPORT or NEWS AND SPORT, depending on which services you want, and your full name to 07767 417704. Save our number into your phone’s contacts as Oxford Mail WhatsApp and ensure you have WhatsApp installed.