MARK GATISS IS DRACULA!
Big Finish is delighted to announce the release of Dracula, a new full-cast audio adaptation of Bram Stoker’s classic novel, starring Mark Gatiss as Count Dracula. The award-winning company, best known for its range of Doctor Who audio dramas, will be releasing the new adaptation on May 26th 2016, 119 years to the day of the novel’s first publication.
Says Mark, “As a child, I used to go around wearing a red curtain and re-enacting Christopher Lee’s death throes from Dracula Has Risen From The Grave! It’s a part I’ve always wanted to play,” he enthuses, “and I’ve been rehearsing for forty-eight years. You may be able to tell that in the relish and bloodied glee in which I approach this role!”
Actors appearing alongside Mark include Deirdre Mullins, Joseph Kloska, Nigel Betts, Rupert Young and David Menkin. The production has been directed by Scott Handcock, creator of Big Finish acclaimed original series The Confessions of Dorian Gray.
“You only have to look at the majority of my Big Finish output,” says Scott, “and it doesn’t take long to realize I’m a bit of a horror buff. There’s just something about the genre that makes it so ideal for audio. Fear is such a personal thing, it ties in peculiarly well with the intimacy of audio storytelling. I always knew I wanted Mark to be my Count. Thankfully, he didn’t disappoint. From the instant the project was mooted, through to recording and beyond, he’s been nothing short of incredibly enthusiastic. He has such a distinctive voice, and brings a real sense of dread and brooding menace to proceedings.”
The script has been written for audio by novelist Jonathan Barnes, following his 2014 adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, starring Arthur Darvill.
“I wanted to be as faithful as possible,” says Barnes, “indeed, that was part of the brief from Scott. The opening, the beautiful, eerie slice of Gothic pastiche; that wonderful two-hander between Harker and the Count has been recreated almost exactly. Subsequently, I’ve had to take one or two liberties but an awful lot of the book is in there. I think it would be accurate to say that it’s one of the most faithful adaptations ever, if not the most. We’ve been able to include lots of stuff: Mr Swales! The rats in the basement! The escape of the wolf from the zoo! – that are rarely seen in any other version.”
Gatiss is well-known for his love of the horror genre, having presented documentaries looking at horror films on BBC4. Is Dracula his favorite character? He grins: “Certainly one of my favorites. When I actually read the book as a teenager I was blown away by how modern and thrilling it was.”
Dracula will be released as a four-disc set on Thursday, May 26th 2016, exclusively from the Big Finish website. It will be available from other retailers from June 30th 2016.
