Dark Matters brings a modern-Gothic theatre season to Circle & Star in Hampstead from 14–31 October 2026, with two especially tempting dates for horror and adaptation fans: Frankenstein — Unchained on 22–23 October and Mitch Benn’s wonderfully odd Gilbert & Sullivan’s Dracula on 24–25 October.
Prefer your October nights Gothic rather than generic? Jump to the ticket section below to check the live booking pages for Frankenstein and Dracula.
For Clarissa’s Corner, the strongest crossover sits with two productions rooted in classic Gothic literature: Frankenstein — Unchained and Mitch Benn: Gilbert & Sullivan’s Dracula. Rather than split them into separate thin posts, this guide keeps the season together and connects it with our wider horror, Halloween and adaptation coverage.
Latest Update
Checked 10 September 2026: Circle & Star’s current programme and booking pages confirm Frankenstein — Unchained for 22–23 October and Mitch Benn: Gilbert & Sullivan’s Dracula for 24–25 October. Tickets are currently sold through Circle & Star’s Ticket Tailor booking pages.
Dark Matters at a Glance
- Season: Dark Matters — a modern-gothic season
- Dates: 14–31 October 2026
- Venue: Circle & Star Theatre, 28 Heath Street, Hampstead, London NW3 6TE
- Capacity: 55 seats
- Nearest Tube: Hampstead, Northern line
Frankenstein — Unchained
Thursday 22 and Friday 23 October 2026 at 8pm
Tickets: £20
The current booking information also warns that the performance uses haze and smoke effects, projected imagery and sustained low light, but states there is no strobe.
Frankenstein — Unchained is a multimedia performance built around Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel. The production combines live narration by classic horror actor Madeline Smith with an original soundtrack performed live by Jason Frederick to picture.
Smith’s screen credits give the evening an extra Hammer-horror connection: she appeared in Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell and Taste the Blood of Dracula, making this an especially neat bridge between Shelley’s novel, classic horror cinema and live performance.
If you are following our wider adaptation coverage, you can also revisit our Frankenstein UK Tour 2023 archive and browse more stories that have moved from page to stage in From Covers to Curtains.
Mitch Benn: Gilbert & Sullivan’s Dracula
Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 October 2026
Performances: 2pm and 7.30pm
Tickets: £22
Mitch Benn’s gloriously odd Gothic premise imagines a supposedly lost Gilbert & Sullivan adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. The production is presented as a rediscovered operetta with Benn performing an adapted version for the Hampstead stage.
The official booking page lists a running time of 85 minutes including an interval and says there are no adult themes, with under-18s welcome.
For another current Dracula strand on Clarissa’s Corner, see our Grimmfest 2026 Dracula restoration guide, or browse the wider Chill & Thrill archive.
Why Dark Matters Fits Halloween 2026
The timing lands squarely in Clarissa’s Corner’s October horror coverage. The season overlaps our current Face Your Fears 2026: 31 Days of Halloween hub and works naturally alongside the broader Halloween 2026 in London & the South East guide.
It also sits neatly beside our year-round Horror Events coverage, particularly for readers who prefer Gothic storytelling and psychological atmosphere to a traditional scare attraction.
Accessibility
Circle & Star’s official accessibility information states that the theatre is not wheelchair accessible. The entrance has steps from Heath Street and the main theatre is reached via a Victorian staircase; the venue says the building cannot currently be retrofitted with a ramp or lift.
No production-specific captioned, BSL, audio-described, relaxed or touch-tour performances were confirmed on the official information checked on 10 September 2026. Readers with access questions should contact Circle & Star directly before booking.
Practical Information
Circle & Star Theatre is at 28 Heath Street, Hampstead, London NW3 6TE, around thirty seconds from Hampstead Underground station on the Northern line. The theatre has 55 tiered seats.
Tickets
There is currently no confirmed Clarissa’s Corner affiliate route for these Circle & Star productions, so the official venue booking route is being used.
Book Frankenstein — Unchained via Circle & Star →
Book Mitch Benn: Gilbert & Sullivan’s Dracula via Circle & Star →
More Gothic Theatre on Clarissa’s Corner
If Dark Matters sounds like your sort of night out, our current The Turn of the Screw at Arcola Theatre guide is another strong Gothic adaptation for autumn 2026.
FAQ
When is Dark Matters at Circle & Star Theatre?
The modern-gothic season runs from 14–31 October 2026.
When is Frankenstein — Unchained?
Frankenstein — Unchained plays on 22 and 23 October 2026 at 8pm.
When is Gilbert & Sullivan’s Dracula?
Mitch Benn: Gilbert & Sullivan’s Dracula plays on 24 and 25 October 2026, with 2pm and 7.30pm performances.
Is Circle & Star Theatre wheelchair accessible?
No. The venue’s official accessibility page states that the theatre is not wheelchair accessible because access involves steps and a Victorian staircase.
