"Blackhollow" Delivers a Chilling Gothic Experience

I have my story straight; it’s these dark halls that threaten me.

Greater Boston Stage Company (GBSC) opens with the world premiere of “Blackhollow,” a one-act gothic play by Weylin Symes. Set in 1838, inside an insane asylum, the story centers on Nurse Lucy Cull. She is a devoted worker who becomes entangled in a series of dangerous medical experiments.  

There are shows that stay with you long after the curtain falls, and GBSC’s “Blackhollow” is one of them. Wow, this show is an extraordinary theatrical piece. It sent goosebumps down my spine. Eerie, gripping, and masterfully directed, this gothic production takes audiences into the complexities of the human mind and delivers a worthy theatrical experience. 

“Blackhollow” is a one-woman show, brought spectacularly to life by Anna Slate. Putting her Jekyll & Hyde skills to the ultimate test, Slate plays Lucy Cull and various other characters. She keeps audiences sitting forward in their seats for one of the most amazing solo performances.

Slate is captivating the moment she enters the stage. She has the whole stage to herself, and yet Slate fills the stage with distinct personalities. The way she snaps into new characters is amazing to watch, through expression, posture, and physical mannerisms. 

In scenes where Lucy interacts with other characters, all Slate does is reverse her position on the bed, and suddenly, she becomes someone else. In another brilliantly executed moment, Lucy injects a shot into the air before seamlessly transforming into the person receiving it. 

I have many words to describe Slate’s performance, and sadly it won’t be enough to fill up this review. She is completely immersed in the moment, fully embodying each character, while drawing audiences into Lucy’s unsettling world. Slate’s performance is a rare opportunity to see on stage. 

The production’s set design further strengthens the atmosphere. Katy Monthei transforms the GBSC auditorium into a psychiatric hospital room. Anytime I enter the auditorium for a GBSC show, I automatically feel part of the world, and I felt an immediate sense of confinement with this set design.

The clinical environment becomes an integral part of the storytelling, providing an unsettling backdrop for Lucy’s experiences. Its simplicity allows Slate’s performance to remain the focal point, drawing audiences deeper into the character’s world. 

“Blackhollow” was directed by Daniel Begin and Weylin Symes, who also wrote the play. Symes was originally adapting a play based on Dr. Jekyll and Hyde, until it grew into something different. 

One of the elements they love most about the play is that a single woman tells the entire story, filling “Blackhollow” with different people, while conveying a sense that you are not alone. They also continued to ask each other questions, which only enhanced the play’s world for them.

“In a play about possession, mind, and body, what does it mean to finally take control, and how far might someone go to hold onto it? That is what we explore in this story,” said Begin and Symes in their director's note. 

An incredible amount of work went into bringing this production to life. Jonathan Santoro, the dramaturg, took the time to research medicine, science, and human nature from the early 1900s. His research adds to the authenticity.

To sit in the audience for this world premiere was an unforgettable experience I will never forget. The shock and gasps that went through the audience at the final line only enhanced the experience. 

Keep creating stories. You never know what you can create. Horror lovers, you must experience “Blackhollow” at Greater Boston Stage Company. It makes a fun October activity, especially on Halloween. Catch “Blackhollow” playing at GBSC until Sunday, Nov. 8.