'Even Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Had to Deal with Cynics.' Adolphus Scarabus

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Adolphus Scarabus is a world renowned parapsychologist, author, and clairvoyant.  His skills are unparalleled in the field of supernatural research.  He's also a fictional character, a character I created for my play The Haunting of Blaine Manor.  Shortly after his entrance in the play, he is verbally accosted by American Doctor Roy Earle, a man who has built his own career and reputation proving that mediums and hauntings are fake, that 'there are no such things as ghosts'.  Scarabus is unperturbed, he's used to this and unruffled in his reply

'Even Sir Arthur Conan Doyle had to deal with cynics.' 

Adolphus Scarabus, played by Phil Dennison

This is true, as well as being a world renowned author, the creator of the Sherlock Holmes series of mysteries and The Lost World among his prolific output, he also had a fascination with the afterlife and spirit world.  He carried out detailed research and attended many seances and 'ghost hunts' in haunted buildings.  He studied to such an extent that he lectured on the subject.  This of course left him wide open to mockery and ridicule from his peers, he was widely derided by scientists and cynics.  

Doctor Roy Earle, played by Peter Slater - and yes, Doctor Earle is another fictional character. This mock newspaper was created by the brilliant Darren McGinn, words by Joe O'Byrne

Now when I was writing this play I had no idea that the play would become as successful as it has, that it would be filling theatres, that it would be garnering fabulous reviews from critics and the public and repeat viewings from many audience members.  What I couldn't know at that time is that eventually the play would be performed in the spectacular and historical venue that is the beautiful Albert Halls, Bolton (pictured below) - an extra thrill for me as this is my home town.

Now imagine my excitement when I find after looking into the history of the Albert Halls that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle gave a lecture here, on the supernatural, in the very room where we will be performing the play!  How spooky is that?  It adds a whole new thrill to the ride.  Who knows, maybe the ghost of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle will be there with us, to hear that line being uttered?  If you're with us as an audience member that night, and you feel an extra chill? Say hello to Sir Arthur.

We play the Albert Halls on Friday 11th of October, a fabulous venue for a ghost story, it's going to be quite a night.  Book your tickets here, but hurry, tickets are disappearing faster than ghosts at an exorcists convention!

Check out Adolphus Scarabus at the beginning of the trailer below, trailer created by the brilliant Darren McGinn with originally composed music by the very talented Justin Wetherill, Justin also created the chilling sound design for the play.

Do you really want to miss a night like this? Come join us for a night you'll never forget. 

​Tickets:
www.alberthalls-bolton.co.uk/events/event/40/the-haunting-of-blaine-manor

Check the spectacular reviews:
www.talesfromparadiseheights.com/reviews.html

Hope to see you...Horror is a Place.  

​That place is Blaine Manor.

Joe x