Preview: Dracula: The Travesty at South Shields Customs House

Panto Duo Team Up For Frightfully Funny Show

Dracula: The Travesty

South Shields Customs House

Tuesday 29 October to Friday 1 November 2019

Ray Spencer 

A familiar acting partnership is about to take a slightly more sinister turn. Ray Spencer has joined the cast of Dracula: The Travesty, which is guaranteed to have audiences on the edge of their seats over the Halloween period. He will play Van Helsing alongside Davey Hopper’s Dracula in the comic take on the Bram Stoker tale – a frightfully funny panto with teeth.

The duo are no strangers to panto, having starred alongside each other in The Customs House panto since 2016, as mother and son Dame Bella and Arbuthnot –  who definitely don’t hunt down vampires or drain the blood from people’s necks.

Dracula: The Travesty, produced by The Customs House in association with Northumberland Theatre Company (NTC), comes to The Customs House for four nights, from Tuesday 29 October to Friday 1 November at 7pm.

Davey Hopper

Ray said: “I am delighted to be working with Davey again, but I’m nervous about being as good as Alfie Joey, who took on the role last year.  The show is a great laugh and people of all ages can come and enjoy it with the family. It is something different to do on Halloween and in half term week.  I hope all sorts of people come and see Dame Bella and Arbuthnot in an entirely different light as we play Dracula and Van Helsing.”

Dracula: The Travesty, written by Stewart Howson, was originally commissioned by NTC in 2016 and toured successful three times, with Hopper appearing in the third tour. He brought it to The Customs House last year.  He said: “I think it is going to be fantastic and I am absolutely over the moon that Ray’s doing it. It was absolutely hilarious last year and I think it is going to be as hilarious this year.  I did it with NTC and now we are bringing it to a big stage and it is exactly what The Customs House audience like. It is funny, it is fast-paced, it has many roles and I think it’s going to be really exciting.”

Sophia Catleugh

Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts graduate Sophia Catleugh, who also appeared in last year’s production at The Customs House, completes the cast.

Three actors, 20 characters, one vampire – what could possibly go wrong?

Tickets for Dracula: The Travesty, priced from £10, are available from the box office on (0191) 454 1234 or online at www.customshouse.co.uk.