OCNews

Spring may be in like a lion out like a lamb, but a different beast is on the prowl at Okanagan College this month, courtesy of OC’s theatre troupe.

The Red Dot Players are excited to present the premiere production of The Beast of Blackthorn Manor, a new comedy by Okanagan College English professor Jeremy Beaulne.

The plot promises to delight fans of gothic literature and those new to the genre:

When she accepts a position at Blackthorn Manor, an isolated manor house in the Yorkshire moors, governess Charlotte Vole has no idea that she is about to plunge into a Gothic world filled with mysteries. Why is her employer, the dashing Mr. Gastropod, tormented by guilt? What has become of the precious ruby necklace that belonged to his late wife? And what is the secret of the “Beast,” the supernatural hound that haunts Blackthorn Manor?

The Beast of Blackthorn Manor is an affectionate pastiche of classic Gothic novels, particularly Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre and Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights. It was inspired by playwright Beaulne’s love of nineteenth-century literature and a trip he took to the Brontë Parsonage Museum in Haworth, Yorkshire.

“The Brontë sisters, along with their father and brother, lived next to an overgrown cemetery on the edge of the moors,” says Beaulne. “It would have been surprising if they hadn’t written Gothic novels!”

The Beast of Blackthorn Manor is being produced by the Red Dot Players, Okanagan College’s community theatre company. The cast and crew include Okanagan College students, employees, and alumni, as well as members of the larger community.

Rehearsals for The Beast of Blackthorn Manor started in January. “Everyone has been working really hard to make the show a success,” says Beaulne. “I’ve been blown away by their talent and creativity.”

Performances of The Beast of Blackthorn Manor are taking place on Thursday, March 9 at 7 p.m.; Friday, March 10 at 7 p.m.; Saturday, March 11 at 7 p.m.; and Sunday, March 12 at 2 p.m. at the Okanagan College Theatre (1000 KLO Road, Kelowna).

Regular tickets for The Beast of Blackthorn Manor are $20. Student and senior tickets are $18. They can be purchased in advance from reddotplayers.com. They will also be available at the door.