Derbyshire company Rumpus is to tour The Masque of the Red Death, a “spine-chilling” new play by John Goodrum based on a story by Edgar Allan Poe.
The tale features Prince Prospero and a handful of his nobility who shut themselves away in a heavily fortified castle to escape the plague that is sweeping their land. Known as the Red Death, it kills everyone and everything in its path.
Disdainfully indifferent to the sufferings of his people, the Prince throws a lavish ball but as the masque reaches its orgiastic climax and the clock chimes midnight, a mysterious, uninvited guest is found in their midst—a guest that wreaks a terrifying revenge.
Goodrum, the founder of Rumpus, appears in The Masque of the Red Death alongside Sarah Wynne Kordas.
Goodrum who also designs the play appears in another of his works, The Black Veil, based on a Charles Dickens short story, which is touring until April 2020. It also features Sarah Wynne Kordas.
Karen Henson directs both of The Masque of the Red Death and The Black Veil. David Gilbrook is sound designer for both productions.
The Masque of the Red Death begins its tour at the Brindley, Runcorn on Wednesday 16 October before visiting the Pomegranate Theatre, Chesterfield on Friday 18 October and the Trinity Arts Centre, Gainsborough on Saturday 19 October. It then goes to Hemel Hempstead, Rotherham, Sudbury, Redditch, Broadstairs, Crawley, Tunbridge Wells and Middlesbrough until Wednesday 20 November.