I agree about the lack of scariness of the adaptation: though for me, Martin's Close is one of James' scarier tales. The two key scares - the ghost of Ann Clark scuttling out of the linen closet, and the 'boy' seeing her first emerge from the pond - both really work for me in the text version. Indeed, I'd rate the story in the top five James tales; which proves, should it need to be proven, that fear is as much in the eyes of the beholder as beauty is alleged to be.
Regarding the casting of Reddaway, I also agree. I've no beef with colour-blind casting: I think it's a positive thing to do, and more than desirable - a responsibility - for a public service broadcaster. However, age-blind casting is another matter completely. When he first appeared, I thought Gatiss was doing a clever and the character was going to be referred to by the racist and historically plausible 'boy' throughout. But as you say, he was called 'child' interchangeably, which I've never seen used as 'boy' was on black and Asian people in the past - to denote a service role and/or to patronise. I'm pretty sure there were other references to his youth, too.
"We all have flaws, and mine is being wicked."
James Thurber, The Thirteen Clocks 1951
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