DRACULA TO MAKE APPEARANCE IN SUNDERLAND!
A
comedy play based on the Dracula story, which has been invited to be performed
at the Whitby Goth Festival, is to have three dates in Sunderland this autumn.
Dracula:
Die Laughing which will be performed at the Isis pub (Sunderland and
South Tyneside CAMRA branches Pub of the Year 2013) in Silksworth Row, Sunderland
city centre, has been penned by South Tyneside playwright Ed Waugh who came up
with the idea after a friend returned from the Whitby Goth Festival and was
raving about it.
The
weekend festival, which is held every April and October, attracts 12,000 people
of all ages from all over the world, many of whom dress as Goths but most
attend to take in the styles, music and laid-back atmosphere of the event in
the North Yorkshire town.
Ed,
who with his writing partner Trevor Wood has notched up some of the most
successful north east plays in the past decade, explained: “My mate Les went
last year and he never stopped talking about it. So I agreed to go with him
next year but I felt if we were going it should be with a play. Everyone knows
about Dracula being a vampire, and how it was at Whitby that he first came
ashore.
“I
felt we could have great fun with Dracula being a bit passed his best and,
being pursued by Vampire hunters, takes refuge at the Whitby Goth Festival.
“We
spoke to the organisers and they want to include us in the official programme
alongside the bands, so we are delighted to be an integral part of the event
next April.”
The
north east tour will be to fine tune the show but director Gareth Hunter of Ion
Productions is promising a cracking evening’s entertainment.
He
said: “The script is hilarious. The show will include audience interaction and
we initially want to run it at intimate venues in preparation for the Whitby
event and a regional tour next year. This is Dracula as never seen before.
People will actually feel sympathy for the poor old soul!”
Dracula:
Die Laughing, opens at Collingwood College, Durham, on Tuesday, October
29, and runs at the Magnesia Bank, North Shields (Wednesday 30) and Sunderland
Isis pub on Thursday, Friday and Saturday (October 31 and November 1 and 2).
Tickets
cost £8 and £5 (unwaged) and are available from the venues or via the Dracula:
Die Laughing Facebook site. The show is open to everyone and suitable for
the 14+ age group.
Gareth
added: “People are welcome to come in Gothic costume, especially for Halloween
on the 31st.”
