It is with wonderful delight we welcome Dacre Stoker to the show. Dacre is an international best-selling co-author of Dracula the Un-Dead (Dutton, 2009) a sequel to Dracula, and Dracul (Putnam 2018) a prequel to Dracula. His recent works include Dracula, Annotated for the 125th Anniversary with Robert Eighteen-Bisang, (2022) Dracula’s Bedlam (2021) with Chris McAuley and John Peel and The Virgins Embrace (2021) with Chris McAuley, a graphic novel adaptation of Bram Stoker’s short story The Squaw (1893), an original graphic novel Dracula The Return, Cult of the White Worm, (2022) with Chris McAuley. Furthermore, Dacre has written many short stories, provided backstories and insights for licensed game creators, and is an accomplished athlete and coach. Apart from all this… he is the great grand-nephew of civil servant, theatre manager and novelist – Abraham (Bram) Stoker (1847-1912).

At the start of the evening we’ll talk about ‘The Stoker Family’. Bram Stoker went to Trinity College, Dublin, and later worked at Dublin Castle as a civil servant. His interest in the theatre grew, and thanks to Henry Irving he was given the job as manager of the Lyceum Theatre in London. Bram sought information on the medical side for writing ‘Dracula’ from his eldest brother – Dr Thornley Stoker. Dr Thornley worked in numerous hospitals – one being a large hospital for mental patients. In addition, Dacre’s great grandfather Dr George Stoker invented Ozone Therapy.

At midpoint of the show, the conversation will turn to ‘Dracula’. First published in 1897 by Bram Stoker, the novel consisted of over a hundred notes, driven from the lure of Transylvanian folklore. Inspiration may have come from historical figures such as Vlad III (circa 1428-1477) and Countess Elizabeth Báthory (1560-1614), yet there may have also been influence from an Irish folklore legend – and that of a corpse named the Abhartach (revenant), whom rises from the grave with a bloodlust for the living. The Dracula storyline begins with a solicitor named Jonathan Harker, who goes on a trip to Transylvania to discuss business with a Count Dracula at his castle residence. After discovering Dracula is a vampire Harker flees the castle. The Count arrives at Whitby, England upon a boat, and plagues the seaside town. A small group, led by Abraham Van Helsing investigate, track down the Count, and kill him.