And this really is a bold new adaptation; the stage and lighting design are something to behold. Ingenious use is made of colossal pillars and arches, effortlessly taking us from Whitby portside to Transylvanian castle via lunatic asylum, while clever lighting (hats off to Ben Cracknell) and (at times ear-perforatingly loud) three-dimensional sound effects leave the nerves jangling. And the smart additions of Ben Hart illusions have us all wondering if we can truly believe what we have just seen…injecting a sense of magic and otherworldliness to the proceedings.

COTSWOLD LIFE

The special effects in this production are nothing short of award worthy. Strobe lighting can be overused but the lighting team in this show balanced the harrowing effect with soft ‘candlelight’ during the scenes, using the harsh white flickers to illuminate moments of modern dance – writing bodies distorted in the horror before us.

GLOUSTERSHIRE LIVE