Released 119 years to the day the original novel was published, Dracula is a chilling new retelling of the iconic vampire tale. For Mark Gatiss, his role in the play achieves a life-long dream to bare his fangs at the eponymous Count.

‘As a child, I used to go around wearing a red curtain and re-enacting Christopher Lee’s death throes from Dracula Has Risen From The Grave!' enthused Mark. 'It’s a part I’ve always wanted to play and I’ve been rehearsing for forty-eight years. You may be able to tell that in the relish and bloodied glee in which I approach this role!’

Actors appearing alongside Mark include Deirdre Mullins, Joseph Kloska, Nigel Betts, Rupert Young and David Menkin. The production has been directed by Scott Handcock, creator of Big Finish acclaimed original series The Confessions of Dorian Gray.

‘You only have to look at the majority of my Big Finish output,' says Scott, 'and it doesn’t take long to realise I’m a bit of a horror buff. There’s just something about the genre that makes it so ideal for audio. Fear is such a personal thing, it ties in peculiarly well with the intimacy of audio storytelling.’

'I always knew I wanted Mark to be my Count. Thankfully, he didn’t disappoint. From the instant the project was mooted, through to recording and beyond, he’s been nothing short of incredibly enthusiastic. He has such a distinctive voice, and brings a real sense of dread and brooding menace to proceedings.'

The script has been written for audio by novelist Jonathan Barnes, following his 2014 adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein: The Modern Prometheus, starring Arthur Darvill.

'I wanted to be as faithful as possible,’ says Barnes, ‘indeed, that was part of the brief from Scott. The opening, the beautiful, eerie slice of gothic pastiche; that wonderful two-hander between Harker and the Count has been recreated almost exactly. Subsequently, I’ve had to take one or two liberties but an awful lot of the book is in there. I think it would be accurate to say that it’s one of the most faithful adaptations ever, if not the most. We’ve been able to include lots of stuff: Mr Swales! The rats in the basement! The escape of the wolf from the zoo! - that are rarely seen in any other version.’

Gatiss is well-known for his love of the horror genre, having presented documentaries looking at horror films on BBC4. Is Dracula his favourite character? He grins: ‘Certainly one of my favourites. When I actually read the book as a teenager I was blown away by how modern and thrilling it was.’

Dracula, a four-disc full-cast drama, is released on Thursday, May 26th. Pre-order your copy today for £20 on CD or £15 to download. CD orders of the story also include a complimentary digital download, allowing you to begin listening from the moment of release.

For more horror adaptations, including Frankenstein, The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Phantom of the Opera, visit our Big Finish Classics range.