The Raven and Other Gothic Poetry

Edgar Allan Poe made his name with 'The Raven' (1845) and it remains the most celebrated of all horror poems, a fiendishly contorting meditation on grief. It is paired here with two forgotten classics. Robert Southey's 'The Old Woman of Berkeley' (1798) gives us the deathbed confession of a witch and her attempts to escape the Devil's clutches. Meanwhile, Thomas Hood's 'The Dream of Eugene Aram' (1831) unfolds the ghastly crimes of the real-life Knaresborough schoolteacher, who was incarcerated in York Castle Prison and hanged at the Knavesmire. Swanton's acting has been described as 'remarkable' by Simon Callow, 'extraordinary' by Miriam Margolyes and 'fantastic' by Mark Gatiss, whilst Kim Newman has called him 'a horror star of the future' and Kit Harington proclaimed him 'genuinely scary'. As well as the performance, all ticket holders (10 maximum each sitting) will have exclusive after-hours access to Horrifically Good Books, where they can browse the shelves without the crowds. Guests for any sitting can arrive from 5.45pm and browse the shelves before and after their scheduled performance. This intimate evening promises to deliver some unforgettable Halloween storytelling - and tickets are strictly limited, so advance booking is a must.