A new touring show will tell 'the truth' behind the famous Dracula tale.

The south west’s much loved physical comedy theatre company Le Navet Bete returns to Dorset this week with a lightning quick, side-splitting take on Dracula, which will tour around the county with Artsreach, Dorset’s touring arts charity.

The tour will stop at Toller Porcorum near Dorchester on Friday.

Set shortly after 1897, meet Professor Abraham Van Helsing, a man passionate about educating the world on the actual events of Dracula through his first-ever theatre tour, which he himself has produced and is, in fact, starring in.

“You must have all heard by now of the recent novel, 'Dracula' that was released three years ago in 1897 by that dreadful man Bram Stoker, yes? I gave that money grabber, Mr Stoker, all of my research notes, letters, diary entries to write up to warn you. It wasn't a fictional story at all, no! It was fact, true, real, I was there! I saw the madness, the supernatural. I saw the vampire!”

Exeter-based Le Navet Bete are committed to creating hilarious, physical and totally accessible comedy theatre using creative and engaging storytelling. This brand new show will take you on a journey across Europe from the dark and sinister Transylvanian mountains to the awkwardly charming seaside town of Whitby, whilst the frantic Van Helsing and his three amateur actors try to stage a life-changing, factual theatrical production of the events of Dracula, educating us all on the perils of dealing with vampires!

Packed with song, dance, shadow puppets and even some Victorian parlour tricks, Le Navet Bete promises to have the vampires back in the ground and leave audiences flying high!

The show is suitable for those aged eight and above.

See Dracula: The Bloody Truth at Gillingham School (01747 833844) on Thursday, at Toller Porcorum (01300 320373) on Friday and Corfe Castle (07590 352219) on Saturday. More details and tickets are also available at artsreach.co.uk