From Benighted to Rocky Horror: A Gothic Lineage (11 July).

Discover the dark and fascinating world of J.B. Priestley’s Benighted in this compelling panel exploring the novel’s place within the tradition of British Gothic literature.  

Bringing together leading voices in Gothic studies and performance, the discussion examines how Priestley’s eerie country house setting, psychological tension and unsettling atmosphere helped shape the enduring ‘haunted house psychodrama.’ 

Duncan Gates, director of the 2016 stage adaptation of Benighted at the Old Red Lion Theatre, joins Dr Xavier Aldana Reyes, founding member of Manchester Metropolitan University’s Centre for Gothic Studies, to explore the defining elements of the Gothic mode, from fear and the uncanny to architecture and isolation.  

The panel will also consider the novel’s influence on later adaptations and cult classics, including The Old Dark House and even The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Perfect for lovers of literature, theatre, film and Gothic storytelling, this event reclaims Benighted as an essential and influential work within the Gothic canon.