This dark and stormy night comes with a twist. It may never end.

The sun went down three days ago and has yet to reappear. Humanity stands on the precipice. All is chaos. Martial law has been declared.

In a remote and gloomy mansion, housemate-lovers Byron and Polidori are preparing themselves for The End. Byron has lost all hope and is determined to end his life tonight. Polidori, who combines cocktail-making skills with a connoisseur’s knowledge of hard drugs, has prepared the way for him, albeit reluctantly.

But before Byron can take his leave, three old friends – Percy, Mary and Claire – arrive, defying wild weather and a state-of-emergency lockdown.

They are determined to see in whatever comes next together, but the reunion is a fraught one, thanks to past sexual relationships and rivalries. Regardless, they embark on a fortifying round of storytelling, just like they did in the old days.

Imogen Sage and Alec Snow in Darkness. Photo © Phil Erbacher

Darknesss is inspired by the knotty interpersonal relationships of Mary Shelley, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Lord Byron and John Polidori, and their famous gathering at the at the Villa Diodati by Lake...