The Woman in Black Sets 2025 UK Tour

A ghostly classic is hitting the road again. The Woman in Black, Susan Hill’s spine-chilling tale, launches a new UK tour in 2025, starting at Chester’s Storyhouse on 24 September and weaving through Shrewsbury, London’s Alexandra Palace, and beyond into 2026. PW Productions unveiled the plan, plotting stops in Plymouth, Brighton, Birmingham, and more—15 cities so far, with others still to come. After 33 years haunting London’s West End, it’s a fresh lap for a show that’s spooked millions. Theatre fans nationwide can mark their calendars—Glasgow’s in, whilst Edinburgh’s still crossing fingers for a date.

A National Haunt

The tour kicks off in Chester (24–27 September), rolls to Shrewsbury’s Theatre Severn (30 September–4 October), then settles into Alexandra Palace for a three-week run (8–26 October). From there, it’s a steady march—Plymouth (4–8 November), Brighton (18–22 November), Richmond (25–29 November), and Bath (2–6 December) in 2025. Into 2026, it hits Darlington (6–10 January), York (13–17 January), Glasgow (20–24 January), and Birmingham (27–31 January), with Chelmsford, Oxford, Poole, Liverpool, Nottingham, and Guildford rounding out the list so far. More venues and casting are pending—check thewomaninblack.com for updates.

**Some shots from the 2023 touring production – images by Mark Douet**

Stephen Mallatratt’s adaptation tracks a lawyer convinced a curse—tied to the spectral Woman in Black—shadows his family. He recruits an actor to recount his ordeal, and as they dig into his memories, reality frays at the edges. It’s a lean, two-actor setup that’s kept audiences hooked since its West End bow.

A Storied Past

The Woman in Black clearly has legs. It notched over 13,000 performances at the Fortune Theatre, drawing 7 million UK viewers before closing in 2023. It started as a 1987 Christmas lark in a Scarborough pub, landed at London’s Lyric Hammersmith in 1989, then carved a West End path—Strand, Playhouse, Fortune by June that year. Tours have peppered its run, but this 2025-26 outing brings it back with force, directed by Robin Herford, with Michael Holt’s designs and Kevin Sleep’s lighting.

“Directed by Robin Herford, with Michael Holt’s designs and Kevin Sleep’s lighting, this 2025-26 outing brings it back with force”

PW Productions has long tried to keep tickets affordable, a nod to students and younger crowds in particular. That holds across this tour—from Glasgow’s Theatre Royal to Poole’s Lighthouse—making it a draw beyond the big cities. Over 7 million UK fans and a global tally across 42 countries in 12 languages show its pull hasn’t faded.

Where It’s Landing

The schedule’s a blend of quick stops and longer stays. Alexandra Palace gets three weeks, while Chester, Shrewsbury, and Plymouth get four or five days. In 2026, it’s Darlington’s Hippodrome, York’s Grand Opera House, then Glasgow—handy for Scots—followed by Birmingham’s Alexandra. Chelmsford (3–7 February), Oxford (10–14 February), and Poole (17–21 February) keep it moving, with Liverpool Playhouse (24–28 February), Nottingham’s Theatre Royal (10–14 March), and Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud (14–18 April) closing the loop so far.

As mentioned earlier, no Edinburgh date yet, but locals will hope the Playhouse or Festival Theatre snags a slot when more venues drop. Tickets are live for some spots—Shrewsbury, Brighton, Bath—while others, like Chester (10 March) and Guildford (17 March), roll out soon. It’s a coast-to-coast spread.

“Mallatratt’s script thrives on tension—a lawyer’s dread, a ghost’s echo—no bells or whistles needed. Hill’s novel gave it bones, and Herford’s staging keeps it tight. I’ve never seen it, but either the former is true, or the show has brainwashed legions of fans.”

Mallatratt’s script thrives on tension—a lawyer’s dread, a ghost’s echo—no bells or whistles needed. Hill’s novel gave it bones, and Herford’s staging keeps it tight. I’ve never seen it, but either the former is true, or the show has brainwashed legions of fans. Fans it has racked up from Japan to Germany – but this tour sticks to UK turf, banking on the home crowd that’s stuck with it since 1989. The West End run—over three decades—proves it’s got staying power, even without a live dog, as The Independent once lamented.

This isn’t a flashy reboot; it’s a veteran circling back. The 15-stop slate (and counting) leans on that legacy, from Birmingham’s 1,400-seater to Liverpool’s snug Playhouse. Affordable tickets widen the net—students in Oxford or young fans in Darlington can jump in.

Why It Matters

Theatre tours knit the UK’s patchwork of venues, and The Woman in Black threads an extensive needle—Chester to Guildford, with Glasgow a northern highlight for those of a westerly disposition. With regional theatres suffering in this Cost of Living Crisis era, a big production coming to town can be good news in terms of keeping the lights on.

What’s Next?

Casting’s still under wraps—details will surface online. The tour starts in Chester, but its UK sprawl—Plymouth to Glasgow—keeps it broad. With tickets trickling out, it’s a chance to catch a classic that’s outlasted many that have pretended to its spooky throne. Details here: https://thewomaninblack.com/tour-dates

Featured image: The Woman in Black – 2023 Touring Company. Photo by Mark Douet