CALGARY - Susan Hill's 1983 novel The Woman in Black is a pretty standard British ghost story that Stephen Mallatratt turned into a crackerjack stage play in 1987.

It's been running at the same London theatre since 1989, making it the second- longest running British thriller next to The Mousetrap.

In the stage play, a timid, aging solicitor named Arthur Kipps has rented an old London theatre and the services of a hot shot young actor to help him tell a tale that must be told.

He promises it is the terrifying story of a vengeful ghost.

The actor agrees to help Kipps, but protests he does not believe in ghosts.

Vertigo Theatre's version of The Woman in Black boasts a strong creative team.

Through his Sage Theatre company, director Kelly Reay has proven he can tame some tricky scripts.

Terry Gunvordahl is an award-winning set and lighting designer and Kevin Rothery and Christian Goutsis are two of Calgary's finest actors.

All the ingredients are present, yet their The Woman in Black is a yawner instead of a chiller. There's way too little sparkle in the long set-up for the theatrical convention of having the actor (Goutsis) play a young version of the solicitor, while Kipps (Rothery) plays every other character.

Rothery does some great character work as the townspeople of the haunted village, but Goutsis has chosen to pitch his voice so high as to often squeak instead of speak.

For the audience to be frightened, they must believe Rothery and Goutsis are truly terrified.

Goutsis and Rothery may act as if they are quaking in their boots, but it's clear neither actor is genuinely nervous about sharing the theatre with a phantom woman, so why should we?

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