Join Prof Richard J. Hand, a leading British scholar of horror and media at the University of East Anglia, for an illuminating journey through humanity's oldest obsession: fear itself. Drawing on his book A History of Horror, Fear and the Uncanny, this talk explores why we have been captivated by scary stories for thousands of years.
From ancient legends and folklore creatures—banshees, changelings, werewolves, vampires, zombies—to modern "creepypasta" tales, the talk traces how our deepest terrors have been reimagined across cultures and centuries. You'll discover the origins of iconic supernatural figures like Grendel, Baba Yaga, the Morrigan and the Golem, and explore the literary and cinematic masterpieces that have shaped horror as we know it: works by Edgar Allan Poe, Bram Stoker and Stephen King, alongside films such as The Exorcist, The Shining and Alien. The discussion spans from Gilgamesh and the Underworld through Gothic horror to contemporary internet horror.
Prof Hand's work focuses on how fear, suspense and the uncanny are built across popular performance cultures, particularly through audio drama, Grand-Guignol theatre and film adaptation.
Doors open at 7pm, talk begins at 7:30pm.
