Turn of the Screw

England. A remote country house. A young governess, hired to care for two children, begins what appears to be an idyllic new life – but something about the children hints at a darker presence.Desperate to protect them from what she believes to be malevolent spirits, she finds herself descending into a world of ambiguity, leading to one far-reaching question: are the ghosts real… or are they a projection of something far more terrifying?A masterwork of psychological suspense and the inspiration for Susan Hill’s The Woman in Black, Henry James’ classic novella The Turn of the Screw is brought to life in this new adaptation by Olivier Award-winning playwright Morgan Lloyd Malcolm (Emilia; The Wasp).This edition was published to coincide with the world premiere Arcola Theatre and Blackeyed Theatre co-production in September 2026.

Morgan Lloyd Malcolm was commissioned by Shakespeare’s Globe to write Emilia which became a hit show in summer 2018 before transferring to the West End in 2019, winning three Olivier awards including Best Entertainment or Comedy Play. Her feature adaptation of her play The Wasp, starring Naomie Harris and Natalie Dormer and directed by Guillem Morales, was released in 2024 following a showing at the Tribeca Festival. Morgan’s previous stage credits include Dracula (Lyric Hammersmith), Belongings (shortlisted for the Charles Wintour Award), The Wasp (Hampstead Theatre and Trafalgar Studios), Typical Girls (Sheffield Crucible) and Mum (Plymouth Theatre Royal and Soho Theatre). She also co-wrote the book for new musical Cake, which was performed in London in 2023 and 2024 following an initial tour in 2022.