The Haunting of Blaine Manor
From 7:30PM, Thursday, August 21, 2025 to 7:30PM, Saturday, August 23, 2025
Venue: Darlington Hippodrome
"This is certainly one of the best ghost stories I’ve seen for a long time. I can’t wait to see it again." Teesdale Mercury [Review from 2024 production at Darlington Hippodrome] Written & Directed by Joe O'Byrne England, 1953. Renowned American parapsychologist Doctor Roy Earle, famous for discrediting hauntings and exposing fake mediums, is invited to attend a seance in Blaine Manor, said to be the most haunted building in England. However, Earle’s arrival awakes something horrific within the manor’s walls. As a raging storm closes them off from the outside world, Earle and his companions find that what is waiting within the manor is not nearly as horrific as what has entered with them. In the spirit of M R James, England’s most accomplished ghost story writer (Casting the Runes, Whistle and I’ll Come To You My Lad, The Haunted Doll’s House) and with a nod to the classic black and white film classics of Columbia Pictures, Metro Goldwyn Mayor, Universal Pictures and 20th Century Fox. O’Byrne’s award winning production is a love letter to both the Golden Age of Hollywood and the Hammer Horror Era. An appreciation of the fabulous characters played by the likes of Vincent Price, Peter Cushing, Bette Davis, Peter Lorre and more. It’s a thrilling haunted house chiller set in a manor with a twisted history of madness, witchcraft, tragedy and death, it’s the new The Woman in Black. Reviews from the 2024 production at Darlington Hippodrome: ★★★★ "The Haunting of Blaine Manor is a must-see for fans of the macabre and the mysterious, as well as those new to the genre looking for an accessible entry point. Joe O’Byrne and his talented team have crafted a theatrical experience that is both creepy and thought-provoking. Just be sure to leave a light on when you go to bed afterward – you never know what might be watching from the other side." Stageside UK ★★★★ "Clever ghostly tale" The Review Hub "Darlington Hippodrome theatre is said to be haunted by the ghost of its first managing director Signor Rino Pepi and a woman thought to be his countess. Therefore, what better setting for a journey into the very fabric of the haunted Blaine Manor... The production is tight, cleverly timed and paced... All six members of the cast were wonderful, and this was one of the best plays of its genre that I have seen in a long while." Bishop FM "The show has plenty of eerie moments and you’ll definitely find yourself looking over your shoulder on the way home! Highly recommended and thoroughly enjoyed!" InNewcastle Age guidance: 10+