Oscar Wilde’s deeply macabre ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ has thrilled generations, and the latest stage production is coming to Sunderland this October.

Wilde’s iconic tale of hedonism and vanity remains as deliciously sharp and chilling today as it was in 1890. The plot follows the handsome young Dorian Gray, who sells his soul for eternal youth, leaving a hidden portrait to bear the grotesque physical marks of his corruption, sins, and age. This version—adapted by Wilde’s grandson Merlin Holland and John O’Connor—is also delightfully witty and incorporates previously suppressed material from the original manuscript. But at its heart, the story is a gripping exploration of moral decay that asks how far someone will go to preserve their beauty. In the run up to Halloween (and Halloween night itself), dark treats don’t come better than this.

The Picture of Dorian Gray, 27-31 October, Royalty Theatre, Sunderland, 7.30pm, £10 (£8.50 conc.), royaltytheatre.co.uk