The UK’s largest festival of live horror performance returns for its 9th year, expanding over 2 venues and 3 theatre spaces, with help from their sponsors Horror Channel and PS Publishing. This year’s festival has slithered its way through Islington to join forces with Pleasance Theatre, presenting over 30 shows to rattle your bones and send shivers down your spine. Once again, the suitably spooky Old Red Lion Theatre will play host with 2 brand-new full-length productions seeing us through Halloween.
The Festival is honoured to have playwright David Pinner, the author of RITUAL (the novel that inspired the classic cult movie THE WICKER MAN) present the world premiere of his play Edred, The Vampyre at the Old Red Lion from the 28th October – 2nd November; casting a gothic shadow over the theatre with his soon-to-be modern horror classic. Between the 8th – 26th October the Old Red Lion will be re-united with former (deceased) residents via The Knock Knock Club’s docu-play Last Orders. A blending of fact and fear, the Knock Knock Club have created a show based on the haunted folklore of the 600 year old pub and the paranormal investigations they have conducted throughout the building over the past few months. Both productions are bound to terrify, entertain and keep you checking under the bed before you go to sleep at night!
Alongside these productions, the Horror Festival will have an eclectic programme of shows by new and established horror companies taking over Pleasance Theatre’s Main House and Stage Space between 8th – 25th October. Festival Patron Nicholas Vince, Chatterer in Clive Barker’s Hellraiser and Kinski in Nightbreed, brings his first one-man show to the stage in I AM MONSTERS!, an autobiographical exploration of monsters and what it means to be an actor in the genre. The Milkman Cometh by DeadPlant Theatre aims to sour your semi-skimmed hopes and dreams with its grotesque horror comedy tale of demonic milk-deliverers, accompanied by a live metal band. More horror comedy appears in the form of multi-award winning Casual Violence’s 10th Anniversary extravaganza (and final ever show) Hang The Suits as they bring us the best of their deranged sketches in this double-bill event.
Horror Cabaret is also in full swing this year with Nevermore Theatre’s Serial Killer Cabaret, The Bitten Peach’s Not Another Asian Horror and PopHorror’s drag slasher panto He’s Behind You! bringing some showbiz glam to the genre!
Those looking for genuine terror will find solace with ONEOHONE Theatre Co.’s interactive horror CULT infiltrating the festival, alongside festival favourites House of Macabre with their new shocker What The Dolls Saw, critically-acclaimed Hermetic Arts’ uncanny ANTHOLOGY, and Chamber Piece Theatre’s compendium of frightening tales Late Night Horror.
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The Festival are also aiming to increase representation and support for LGBTQIA+ writers within the genre through their annual playwriting competition focusing entirely on Queer Horror Writers; with the winner being unveiled to the public on the 25th October.
Don’t miss your chance to join the festivities and celebrate the blood-curdling joy of live horror with fellow theatre-goers this Halloween season!
