CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA
OLIVIER AWARD-WINNER CHERYL CAMPBELL AND PHILIP BRETHERTON LEAD A POWERFUL CAST
IN BRAM STOKER’S CLASSIC TALE OF OBSESSION AND HORROR
SET TO TERRIFY UK AUDIENCES AT THEATRE ROYAL NOTTINGHAM 9-13 OCTOBER 2018
Dracula is one of the most universally iconic novels ever written. A monumental, genre-defining classic that is known the world over. Dracula remains the father of all vampire tales and this autumn an all-new production sees the bloodthirsty tale resurrected as part of a nine-week tour, set to receive its most terrifying staging ever when it visits the Theatre Royal Nottingham from Tuesday 9th to Saturday 13th October, as part of a nine-week tour.
Multi award-winning actress Cheryl Campbell plays Lady Renfield (A Doll’s House, RSC; Pennies from Heaven, Testament of Youth, Call the Midwife BBC; Peep Show, Channel 4) and TV favourite Philip Bretherton, Van Helsing (BBC1’s As Time Goes By, Casualty; ITV’s Footballers Wives; Coronation Street; CBBC’s Young Dracula) lead the cast of this sexy, dark and thrilling reimagining of Bram Stoker’s classic gothic story, brought to opulent and irresistible life in a contemporary interpretation that includes all the definitive characters. They are joined by Glen Fox asDracula, Andrew Horton as Jonathan Harker, Evan Milton as Doctor Seward, Olivia Swann as Mina Murray, and Jessica Webber as Lucy.
The cast is completed by Stuart Angell, Charlotte Gosling, Jen Holt, Henry Maynard, Benedict Smith, Marina Stoimenova and Ellen Verenieks.
Ben Hart’s incredible illusion design will create an atmosphere of spine-chilling fear as audiences are shaken to their very core.
Multi-award winner Cheryl Campbell is Lady Renfield. A stage performer of considerable note and range, Campbell has twice been a member of the RSC, notably collecting an Olivier Award for her role in Ibsen’s A Doll’s House. Her screen work is no less celebrated; having received a BAFTA nomination for her role in Dennis Potter’s Pennies From Heaven staring alongside Bob Hoskins, she went on to collect the award for Best Actress the following year for her depiction of Vera Brittain in the BBC’s dramatization of Testament of Youth. Amongst her considerable screen performances are appearances in some of the UK’s most beloved series’ including Inspector Morse, The Way We Live Now, Waking The Dead, Spooks, Peep Show, Lewis, Casualty Doctor Foster and Call The Midwife.
Starring as Van Helsing, Philip Bretherton is known to millions for his starring roles in the BBC comedy As Time Goes By in which Alistair Deaconstarred alongside Judi Dench and Geoffrey Palmer from 1992 -2005), BBC 1’s Casualty, ITV’s Coronation Street and Footballers Wives. He also appeared in the fifth and final series of the CBBC series Young Dracula as Roquelaire. His stage work includes roles as varied as Brad in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, to Frank in Educating Rita. Other stage shows include Pygmalion, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Six Degrees of Separation,God of Carnage, As You Like It, and Blithe Spirit.
Glen Fox (The Bodyguard, Michael Harrison), BBC 2 The Honourable Woman) is Dracula; Andrew Horton (BBC 1 Doctors, The Duchess of Malfi, Tartuffe Richard Burton Company) plays Jonathan Harker. Evan Milton (Network, National Theatre) plays Doctor Seward.
Olivia Swann (making her professional stage debut) is Mina Murray and Jessica Webber (The Three Faces of Dr. Crippin, #starvecrow) plays Lucy.
A Touring Consortium Theatre Production in association with the Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham and Ewing Entertainment, it receives its World Premiere on Friday 28th September 2018, then goes to visit: Theatre Royal, Nottingham; Churchill Theatre, Bromley; Hull, New Theatre; King’s Theatre, Edinburgh; Darlington, Hippodrome; Blackpool, Grand Theatre; Wolverhampton, Grand Theatre; and theAlhambra Theatre, Bradford.
Sexy, dark and thrilling, this brand-new stage adaptation of Bram Stoker’s classic tale of obsession and horror is brought to opulent and irresistible life in a contemporary interpretation that includes all the definitive characters.
Completely re-imagined by an exciting creative team, discover the story that started them all. In Transylvania, enter the castle of Count Dracula and his three brides. The Count, who feeds on the elixir of young blood to look youthful, will take you on a deliciously evil ride as he pursues his victims and encounters Jonathan Harker, Professor Van Helsing and Dr. Seward along the way.
Emotionally fulfilling, utterly terrifying, spellbindingly addictive, will this Dracula ever die?
Bram Stoker’s Dracula was first published in 1897 and has since been made into countless radio, TV and Hollywood films. Inspiring the recent resurgence in vampire mania and the Twilight movie series, Dracula on stage will be a must-see.
“There was a deliberate voluptuousness that was both thrilling and repulsive. And as she arched her neck she actually licked her lips like an animal till I could see in the moonlight the moisture then lapped the white, sharp teeth. Lower and lower went her head. I closed my eyes in a languorous ecstasy and waited.” Bram Stoker, Dracula
Dracula is produced by Matthew Gale who returns to The Touring Consortium and renews his professional relationship with Jenny King who has adapted the Novel for the stage which is her first play. Their longstanding professional relationship includes successful collaborations with The Railway Children (Waterloo Station and Toronto) which won an Olivier Award for Best Entertainment, Slava’s Snow Show (Southbank Centre and Touring) and with Mark Goucher Chorus Line (Palladium) and the UK tour of Hairspray.
The Touring Consortium Theatre Company, is a collaborative partnership with seven regional large-scale touring theatres for whom recent productions include Regeneration, Of Mice and Men and Tale of Two Cities.
Dracula will be brought shockingly to life with Illusions courtesy of Ben Hart, magician and illusion designer. The Magic Circle’s Young Magician of the Year (2007) designs extensively special effects for theatre, film and television. Recent theatrical credits include Fanny and Alexander (Old Vic); A Christmas Carol (RSC); and The Exorcist (West End).
Eduard Lewis directs this terrifying new adaptation, designed by Sean Cavanagh and lit by Ben Cracknell. Cleo Pettitt is Costume Designer and Music and Sound design is by Paul Ewin with Sara Green as Movement Director.
Age Guidance; 16+
LOCAL LISTINGS INFORMATION:
DRACULA Theatre Royal Nottingham
Tuesday 9 to Saturday 13 October 2018
Tue-Sat evenings 7.30pm, Wed matinee 2pm, Sat matinee 2.30pm
£14 – £31.50 plus discounts for Royal Members*, Under 16s, Go Card** holders, Schools, and Groups
Box Office: 0115 989 5555
*Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall Nottingham Royal Membership scheme offering ticket discounts, exclusive pre-sales, meet the cast nights and more www.trch.co.uk/membership
**Go Card free scheme for full time students and under 26s offering ticket discounts for Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall Nottingham eventswww.trch.co.uk/gocard
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