Not sure what causes the game to occasionally get stuck on the loading screen. It happens on travel or leaving a building in Dryford Village. I did pick up a "Missing String" item and then trying to equip it as it had an attack. The "Missing String" item dropped from Medreth and his group. It was after that when the loading screens would get stuck. 

 

I have found that pressing the 'space bar' appears to remove the screen and you can continue playing normally.

It's because the game pauses itself whenever you travel to new screens or Quickload.  Because of the black loading screen though it covers up the "pause" message.

Ah, that explains things. Thanks guys.

That does make sense why unpausing fixes it.

 

Thanks for the explanation!