A SPECIAL production will be coming to Ystradgynlais in November.

Y Consortiwm Cymraeg will be bringing to life a Welsh-language production of West End hit The Woman in Black.

Called Y Fenyw Mewn Du, the production is a Welsh language translation of the 1983 gothic novel of the same name by Dame Susan Hill.

The play was adapted by Stephen Malatratt and follows the story o Arthur Kipps, a solicitor who was tasked with settling the affairs of Alice Drablow. He was working alone on her secluded estate and found himself as the subject of a terrifying haunting and at the mercy of the curse of the woman in black.

He attempts to rid himself of the misery and exorcise the ghost once and for all, calling on an actor to help him tell his story, setting the stage for one of theatre’s most enduring thrillers.

The Actor and Kipps will be played by Jonathan Nefydd (Pobl Y Cwm) and Tom Blumberg (Theatr na nÓg) respectively.

It is one of the longest-running West End plays, having united audiences in fear for 30 years. Now it is the turn of Welsh audiences to experience the thriller as it has been specially translated into Welsh by writer and actor Gwawr Loader. She said: “I was thrilled when Geinior asked me to be a part of the team of Y Fenw Mewn Du. Having the opportunity to present a new adaptation of a West End classic to the Welsh-speakers and learners of the valleys, in their own language and with a Welsh spin is such a pleasure. With costs rising across the board it’s vital that audiences have access to theatre of the highest standard in their towns and villages and Y Consortiwm Cymraeg excels at taking work to communities.”

Director Geinior Styles said: “I love being scared. Since I was very young, I have always loved ghost stories. When I read Susan Hill’s The Woman in Black it scared me so much, I had to have the book cover facing downwards so that I never saw her – The Woman.

“I saw the Stephen Mallatrat adaptation for the stage in the early nineties. It was not only a very clever adaptation of the story but also terrified me and those who sat with me watching it in the theatre.

“The simplicity of the storytelling in the show elevates the power of theatre and the spoken word. That memory has stayed with me and it remains one of my favourite plays. Years later, after a feedback session with audiences following the Consortiwm production of Shirley Valentine, Welsh learners suggested that a known story or play helped with their confidence in attending Welsh language theatre. Venues also said that their biggest sellers were thrillers.”

South Wales Guardian: Y Fenyw Mewn Du - The Woman in Black - will be performed in Ystradgynlais

Learners and non-Welsh speakers are able to enjoy the production using the app Sibrwd. This will allow them to experience an English adaptation of the script to be whispered to them using a mobile phone and earphones as the action is happening on stage.

Joining Geinior will be composer Barnaby Southgate providing music, Kitty Callister designing production and Ian Barnard designing sound. Andy Pike has designed the lighting and projection, Llinos Daniel is assistant director with Owen Staton running ghost storytelling workshops in each location to accompany the tour.

Y Fenyw Mewn Du will be at The Welfare, Ystradgynlais, between November 16-18. Performances take place at 7.30pm. There will be a performance with Sibrwd on November 18 and a performance with BSL interpretation and audio description on November 17.

For more information and to get tickets, visit www.thewelfare.co.uk