NIGHTMARES programme

ThreeGhostStories ThreeGhostStories

Adapted and performed by Adam Z. Robinson

Directed by Jeni Draper

Technical Stage Manager

Charlotte Woods

Sound design

Adam Z. Robinson

Lighting design

Charlotte Woods

Set and props

Matt Sykes-Hooban

Helen & Kate Langwick

Produced by Dick Bonham & LittleMighty

Vengeful spirits, murderous revenants and gruesome promises kept from beyond the grave – every horror imaginable is conjured in this uniquely terrifying experience. Nightmares is a gothic show that will leave you quaking in your seat… and dying for more.

The show features three of the most spine-tingling tales ever written – ‘The Kit-Bag’ by Algernon Blackwood, ‘John Charrington’s Wedding’ by E. Nesbit and ‘The Judge’s House’ by Bram Stoker – all brought to life by one of UK theatre’s most riveting storytellers.

So, join us for three tales of terror… if you dare!

‘The Kit-Bag’ by Algernon Blackwood

Lawyer’s Clerk Johnson is glad to be done with the brutal trial of John Turk. But now, something uncanny and evil is stalking him, perhaps with murder on its mind...

For detailed warnings and information about the content of the stories and to make sure the show is for you, please see the ‘Content Advisory Information’ page towards the back of this programme.

‘John

Charrington’s Wedding’ by

E. Nesbit

Everyone is surprised when John Charrington announces his engagement to May Forster. A date is set for the wedding. But fate conspires to separate the couple in the most disturbing way imaginable.

For detailed warnings and information about the content of the stories and to make sure the show is for you, please see the ‘Content Advisory Information’ page towards the back of this programme.

‘The

Judge’s House’ by Bram Stoker

Malcolm Malcolmson, a student of mathematics, retreats to a small town to study for his final exams. But he soon learns that there may be other, unwelcome presences sharing his new home.

For detailed warnings and information about the content of the stories and to make sure the show is for you, please see the ‘Content Advisory Information’ page towards the back of this programme.

Algernon Blackwood (1869–1951) was an English author renowned for his ghost stories and uncanny fiction. Perhaps his most famous tales are ‘The Willows’ (1907), which explores eerie forces in nature, and ‘The Wendigo’ (1910), which delves into Native American folklore. Other notable works include ‘The Empty House’ and ‘A Confession’. Blackwood’s skill in evoking fear and tension through suggestion has made his ghost stories timeless classics in the genre.

Edith Nesbit (1858–1924) was an author and co-founder of the Fabian Society. She is perhaps best known for her pioneering children's novel The Railway Children (1905), but Nesbit also had a remarkable talent for ghost stories. Her supernatural tales, such as ‘Man-Size in Marble’ (1893), ‘The Shadow’ (1905) and ‘In the Dark’ (1908) are rightly celebrated for their eerie atmosphere and psychological and emotional depth.

Abraham ‘Bram’ Stoker (1847–1912) is of course best known for the seminal vampire novel Dracula (1897). Born in Dublin, Stoker went on to manage the famous actor Sir Henry Irving. Stoker wrote several other works, including The Lair of the White Worm (1911). His collection Dracula's Guest and Other Weird Stories (published 1914) features some of his best supernatural fiction, including ‘The Judge’s House’.

I love ghost stories. If you know me you’ll be aware that this is the understatement of the century. One of the joys of making horror theatre is having the honour of sharing some of the greatest Gothic stories ever written with audiences. Perhaps you’ll be familiar with one, two or all three of these tales. Perhaps you’ll know the authors, but not these stories. Perhaps everything here will be new for you. In any and all cases, I’m thrilled to be able to perform my adaptations for you in Nightmares. When adapting classics, my priority is always to try to preserve the heart, soul and language of the story. Stage adaptations are, of course, a different experience to reading the originals in full. So, if you ’ re a die hard fan of these stories, you will notice some differences to the original texts. These choices have been made carefully, with much thought and care about how best to bring the story to life in the theatre.

Sometimes it’s about enhancing the drama of a live performance, in some cases length is the challenge, in others I’ve taken some minor artistic liberties, always in the name of serving the story and making our show a thrilling experience for you. ‘The Kit Bag’ by Algernon Blackwood and ‘John Charrington’s Wedding’ are presented really quite faithfully, with just a few editorial choices made here and there. ‘The Judge’s House’ presented more of a challenge, but a wonderfully enjoyable one. The process of adapting this tale was lengthy and rigorous. All of the delightfully Gothic beats and plot points have been kept, with a nip and a tuck here and there to help the pace and drama in this live setting. It’s one of my very favourite ghost stories - in fact, all three are - and I’m so glad to have been able to adapt and perform them tonight. I encourage you, after the show, to seek out the originals, all of which are in the public domain and can also be found in collections in all good book shops. Thank you for coming! Adam

The Book of Darkness & Light was co-founded by writer/actor Adam Z. Robinson and musician Ben Styles in 2015. After their first performance at Light Night Leeds, the company have gone on to tour seven ghost story shows nationally. The Book of Darkness & Light, Shivers and Upon the Stair are all published by Playdead Press. TBODAL’s work has been performed in the UK, Canada and Australia. Upon the Stair and Unhomely were produced as bi-lingual shows, presented in spoken English and BSL (British Sign Language).

★★★★½ “Everyone needs to see this show.”

- Reviews Hub on Upon the Stair

“Pure spine-chilling escapism brimming with edgeof-your-seat tension."

- The Indiependent on Haunted

★★★★★ “A must-see production." -

- Northern Soul on Shivers

“A hauntingly wonderful retelling of a classic tale.”

- Our Theatre Voice on A Christmas Carol AUDIENCES:

○ The best piece of theatre I’ve seen in years ○ So hard to put into words just how good the show was ○

Absolutely captivating - brilliant storytelling

○ Inspiring... Loved it.... Sorry for screaming! ○

Extraordinary experience ○ Absolutely amazing. Can’t wait to see another show ○ Loved every minute ○ Enthralling. Terrifying. ○ Scariest thing I have ever seen

○ Eerily spooky, tales beautifully told ○ What a night. One of the best things I’ve seen ○ Utterly mesmerised/terrified…! ○ Excellent. Incomparable acting

○ A play worthy of the West End.

Nightmares is a horror show. It is designed to be scary, tense, jumpy and at times disturbing. We suggest that it is not suitable for anyone under 14 years old, and responsibility for anyone under the age of 18 years old lies entirely with parents/care-givers.

Please read on for information about specific content that some people may find disturbing and/or upsetting. Be advised, this information contains plot details/spoilers.

The stories in the show include references to death, murder, dismemberment of a body, suicide and execution by hanging. There is a physical depiction of a noose and hangman’s rope. There are also extended references and sound effects pertaining to rats.