A gothic masterpiece will unfold beneath the stars as classic horror comes to the coast.

British Touring Shakespeare will present their outdoor staging of Bram Stoker’s Dracula at Brighton Open Air Theatre on September 3, forming part of their 2026 summer tour across the United Kingdom.

David Hobbs MBE, who co-adapted the production, explained that the reimagining positions Mina Harker as the central figure driving the pursuit of the vampire while remaining faithful to Stoker’s original narrative.

The creative team also prioritised historical accuracy in depicting the maritime sections of the novel, encompassing both dialogue and staging of the Demeter’s journey, allowing audiences to experience the tale as Victorian readers would have envisioned it.

Brighton represents one destination on the tour, presenting theatregoers with an evening of gothic drama under the night sky.

Emma Riches, cast as Mina Harker, noted that the character offers compelling dramatic possibilities as the linchpin of resistance against Dracula.

She observed that the production delivers tension and excitement, and that performing the work outdoors in Brighton, where the setting becomes woven into the narrative, should prove captivating for spectators.

British Touring Shakespeare has accumulated over 25 years of experience presenting classical works to open-air audiences across the country.