The stars of The Woman in Black really want to make Glasgow scream...

“I’m not sure I really believe in the supernatural – I have certainly never had any ghostly experiences,” explains Daniel Easton, who is appearing in The Woman in Black when it comes to Glasgow next week.

“Every theatre we visit on the tour has some kind of ghost story attached to it, and it can be a bit spooky when you are backstage and it’s pitch black and quiet – that can make you a bit jumpy.”

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“I’m sure the King’s will be spooky too,” he laughs, adding a little nervously: “I’ll keep a close watch just in case…”

The Woman in Black, which runs from Tuesday to Saturday (February 18 to 22) is celebrating its thirtieth year in the West End. More than seven million people have lived to tell the tale of one of the most chilling and successful theatre events ever staged.

Until he auditioned for the part however, former Doctors star Daniel had never seen it.

“I think, sometimes, that can be an advantage when you go into such a famous role blind,” he says. “I’m going in with no preconceptions or ideas about what the role should be like.”

He adds: “I knew all about it, of course and it felt like a real privilege to be joining such a well-known play, with such a rich history.”

The play tells the story of Arthur Kipps (played in this production by Robert Goodale), a lawyer who engages a sceptical young actor (Easton) to help him tell a terrifying story in the hope of exorcising the fear that grips his soul.

It all begins innocently enough, but as the two men reach further into Arthur’s darkest memories the borders between make-believe and reality begin to blur.

Prepare for a truly terrifying story that will make your flesh creep..

“I did wonder, before I saw it, just how scary it would be given that this is theatre and there are no big special effects,” admits Daniel. “But it is chilling. From an actor’s perspective it is really interesting to see how it all works behind the scenes.

“The second half is terrifying. It’s very satisfying to hear the screams of the audience. It’s a bit like doing a comedy, when you really want to hear the laughs. In The Woman in Black, we want to hear the audience’s terror. Then we will know we have done our job properly.”

Daniel grew up in Liverpool, where his mother was a nursery nurse and his father was a DJ. Lacking in confidence at school, he was encouraged to join the local youth theatre by his English and drama teachers, Miss Walsh and Miss Fraser – and it changed his life.

“It was fantastic,” he says. “I became much more confident and it was great fun. Originally, I thought I’d end up behind the scenes, working in production, maybe.

“I studied drama and film at Manchester University and got a job at the BBC, but it never felt absolutely right.”

He smiles: “It seemed the actors were always having much more fun than me.”

Daniel successfully auditioned for RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art) and spent three years learning his craft.

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Just a few weeks ago, he bumped into Miss Walsh and Miss Fraser again.

“They had come to see The Woman in Black and had left a note for me at the stage door, so I went round to see them,” he says. “It was amazing to see them again – I still remember the way they instilled in me the need for discipline, learning lines and stagecraft…they taught me so much. Sometimes that’s all it takes to spark enthusiasm in a young person for something they had never considered before – one lesson, one teacher, and that encouragement can have a big impact.”

Since graduating from RADA, Daniel has appeared in a variety of stage and screen roles, including several Royal Shakespeare Company seasons, Dial M For Murder at the New Vic Theatre, Netflix’s The Alienist: The Angel Of Darkness and Doctors on BBC One.

“I didn’t plan it that way – I don’t think you ever really plan too far ahead in this industry, things just tend to evolve out of other things,” he says.

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He is looking forward to visiting Glasgow for the first time.

“I can’t wait to explore,” he says. “Glasgow has such a rich theatre history that it’s exciting for me to finally get there. I like to do a bit of running, so I’m hoping to do some while I’m there, and see some beautiful Scottish countryside.”

Beyond the end of the tour in May, Daniel, who lives in London with his partner Sabine, who is a costume designer, is staying tight-lipped about future projects.

“I’m concentrating on this for the moment,” he says. “After that, who knows? As long as I’m working, I’m happy.”

The Woman in Black is at the King’s Theatre from February 18 to 22.