Meet the real Dracula this November...

Blackpool Grand Theatre has a theatrical treat to really get your teeth into from Thursday 7 November to Saturday 9 November...

Keep your sweeping black opera cloak from Hallowe’en night and fly into Blackpool Grand Theatre to enjoy a gripping new production of Bram Stoker’s gothic thriller DRACULA and come face to face with the infamous vampire.

The time is 1897. Mankind is on the cusp of vast technological change, scientific mastery and media innovation. But poised between traditional beliefs, the threat of the unknown and the shock of the new world, an altogether darker fear is emerging. As a new shadow looms large over England, a small group of young men and women, led by Professor Van Helsing, are plunged into an epic struggle for survival.

Adapted and directed by Nick Lane, this brilliant, theatrical treatment of Bram Stoker’s infamous vampire adventure blends Victorian Gothic with the contemporary, showcasing Blackeyed Theatre’s trademark ensemble performance style and innovative design, and featuring a haunting soundscape from composer Tristan Parkes for an exhilarating theatrical experience.

Bram Stoker’s terrifying and timeless thriller Dracula was first published in 1897 and stretches from London, through provincial England, to the mountainous wastes of Transylvania. It embodies the struggle to break taboos, resist temptation and stop the unknown outside becoming the enemy within.

Count Dracula was then first seen on stage in the world premiere of the play at the Grand Theatre, Derby, in May 1924, before touring England, moving to the West End in 1927 and finally appearing on Broadway. There it caught the eye of Hollywood movie studios, and a truly frightening film legend was born.

But how much do you really know about the bloodsucking vampire with the long black opera cloak?

Here’s six scary Dracula facts to sink your teeth into this Hallowe’en season:

1. Bram Stoker based Count Dracula on the 15th-century ruler of Romania Vlad III, also known as Vlad the Impaler, who was known for his brutal methods of punishing his enemies, which included impaling thousands on stakes.
2. Stoker’s 1897 Dracula wasn’t the first vampire story. It was preceded by John Polidori’s The Vampyre (1819), and J. Sheridan Le Fanu’s Carmilla (1872), both of which helped to shape the modern vampire genre before Dracula made his debut.
3. Despite vivid descriptions of Dracula’s castle and Transylvania, Bram Stoker never actually visited Romania. He used travel guides and historical documents to build the eerie setting of his famous novel.
4. Stoker was inspired by his friend the famous British actor, Henry Irving (Hamlet, The Bells), when creating Dracula’s physical characteristics and aristocratic manner.
5. The iconic cape and tuxedo combo Dracula sports are thanks to Bela Lugosi, who starred as Dracula in the 1931 film adaptation. This version of Dracula, with his slicked-back hair and Hungarian accent, influenced how the vampire has been portrayed in pop culture ever since.
6. Count Dracula is one of the most filmed characters in history and has appeared in more than 200 films with actors from Christopher Lee to Gary Oldman and many bringing the Count to life in different ways.

Bram Stoker’s Dracula adapted and directed by Nick Lane for Blackeyed Theatre is at Blackpool Grand Theatre from Thursday 7 November to Saturday 26 November with evening and matinee performances.

Tickets from £18.50 with group/school rates available and concessions for under 18s, 18 to 26 year olds and extra special offers for our 1894 Club loyalty members. Age guidance 12+

• A free Post Show Q&A is also available with the cast and creatives of this chilling show on Friday 8 November, along with a free Pre-Show Matinee Circle talk on Saturday 9 November with Barry McCann from The Dracula Society and local author Zowie Swan looking at vampires from differing perspectives in literature and film.

And don’t forget! You can pre-book bottles of ice-chilled sparkling Prosecco, fragrant fresh flowers and delicious chocolate truffles to treat your loved ones to the theatrical experience of a lifetime!

Please call the Grand Theatre Box Office on 01253 290190 or visit www.blackpoolgrand.co.uk for full listings, bookings and further information.

LISTINGS

Bram Stoker’s Dracula – Thu 7 Nov to Sat 9 Nov at 7.30pm

Sat matinee at 2.30pm

Grand Theatre, 33 Church Street, Blackpool FY1 1HT

Box Office 01253 290 190

blackpoolgrand.co.uk

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