Sackville’s spooky season starts in earnest next week, when the Performers Theatre Company debuts its production of The Book of Darkness and Light, a trio of ghost stories by UK playwright Adam Robinson.
Robinson is in town for the production, and while he’s here, he’ll be involved in a couple of events this weekend, in advance of the play opening.
On Saturday, Robinson is hosting an all-day ghost story writing workshop to help Sackville’s writers delve into their dark sides. Robinson promises a series of “fun, productive exercises” to kick start the story making process.
“I love leading workshops,” says Robinson. “It’s one of the things I enjoy most about my job.” And the workshops are open to anyone who’s up for a full day of ideas and exercises. “There’s no hierarchy in my workshops whatsoever,” says Robinson. “So if you’ve written 100 novels, you’re as welcome as somebody who hasn’t picked up a pencil since school. It’s really that open.”
Then on Sunday at 4pm, Robinson will be part of a Q&A style forum, also featuring some cast members from the Sackville production of The Book of Darkness and Light.
The events are being held at the Performers Theatre Company studio at the corner of Queens and Fairfield Roads.
“Astoundingly unsettling”
The UK reviews for The Book of Darkness and Light describe the play as “astoundingly unsettling” and “creepy and captivating.” Director Stephen Puddle says he spent a good amount of time making sure the Sackville production was sufficiently scary. He doesn’t recommend it for small children, though there are some 10-year-olds appearing in the play, and Puddle says he knows some 10 and 11-year-olds that are coming. “If they’re into that kind of thing,” says Puddle, “then I think that’s okay.”
Robinson brings up an expression coined by one of his favourite writers, M.R. James: “a pleasing terror”.
“I think ghost stories are a fun,” says Robinson. “The idea is that, yes, you’re a bit spooked. And maybe you’ll sort of jump a couple of times, I don’t know. But you enjoy yourself. It’s fun. You’re having fun while that’s happening.”
Robinson is a self-professed ghost story nerd, even hosting a podcast on the genre. He’s a fan of “the classic ghost story.”
“If people like the ghost stories of M.R. James, Edith Wharton, E Nesbitt, Charles Dickens, or Susan Hill, things like The Woman in Black, then I think they will be really into the show,” he says.
Robinson has yet to see the play as staged by Puddle, and it will be considerably different than the one-man show he mounted in the UK. “Stephen’s ideas that I’ve heard so far, just make this so exciting for me,” says Robinson. “It’s always been a one man thing, me and a musician on stage. And Stephen is taking it into something completely different.”
If a “pleasing terror” sounds good to you, you can find out information about tickets and performances at performers theatre.com. The play debuts Wednesday, October 27 and runs until November 6. The writing workshop takes place tomorrow, Saturday October 23, and the theatre forum happens Sunday, October 24. Performers Theatre is located at The Studio, #3 Fairfield Road in Sackville.
Tune into Tantramar Report on Monday for an interview with Puddle and Robinson.
