New psychological horror based on Bram Stoker’s Dracula at Theatre N16 this Halloween

Riot Act presents:

LUNATIC
October 30th – October 31st 2016, Theatre N16

This Halloween, Riot Act will be presenting artistic director Whit Hertford’s new take on Dracula. This nü-gothic play, Lunatic, examines the roots of psychotherapy through the secluded sessions between alienist Dr John Seward and his patient R.M. Renfield of Bram Stoker’s classic novel.

“bold, philosophical and avant-garde” Theatrefullstop on The Misbegotten Hope of the Dirty Bird

Lunatic is a contemporary thriller and genre-redefining companion piece to the classic Victorian tale which explores the relevant veins of morality, sanity and fear of the unknown. Post-show, Tod Browning’s 1931 version of Dracula starring Bela Lugosi will be screened as well.

“Really cooks. Very clever. A redefinition” Neil Bartlett

“To be honest, I’m jealous I didn’t write it“ Dave Eggers

Lunatic is written and directed by Riot Act Artistic Director Whit Hertford. Hertford is an Associate Director at Theatre N16 and received his MFA in theatre directing from East 15 Acting School. Recent directing credits include the critically acclaimed adaptation of Ibsen’s rarely produced political comedy The League of Youth, Coverage  – a newsroom reworking of Julius Caesar and Dóttir which explores seven of Shakespeare’s motherless daughter archetypes, as well as his adaptation of Chekhov’s The Seagull, The Misbegotten Hope of the Dirty Bird. Additionally, he wrote and starred in the film Wildife, which was an official selection of the 2015 Cannes Film Festival Court Métrage.

“Brilliant take on the Dracula story” Danny Boyle

“A fantastic idea. Gets right into the humanity of the gothic genre” Stephen Unwin

Riot Act is a radical band of artists who seek innovation that bleeds and unapologetically aims to incite new writing and breathe oxygen into classic themes and texts. Their acts of excavation, incision and resuscitation have positioned them to be one of London’s exciting new theatre laboratories.

**** “a pleasing blend of earnestness and knowingness” Female Arts on Coverage