The Web Series
The original gothic soap opera
Varney the Vampire (Or, The Feast of Blood) was a weekly serial printed on cheap pamphlets that you could buy in England for a penny – hence the name ‘penny dreadfuls.’
Varney ran from 1845 to 1847 – predating Dracula by fifty-two years. It brought many traits of the vampire we still use – and many still we’ve abandoned. Varney can walk around in daylight, and can be healed and restored by the light of a full moon.
The story is attributed to James Malcolm Rymer and Thomas Peckett Prest, who were paid by the typeset line. An incentive to tell a lavish (and lengthy) story.
As the serial wore on, Varney became a more sympathetic figure, influencing later another gothic soap – Dark Shadows which ran on television in the 1960s on CBS.
A gothic web series
In March 2016, we premiered the first episode of a weekly web series – emulating the serialized “penny dreadfuls” of which Varney the Vampire was part of. While other penny dreadfuls – such as The String of Pearls, featuring Sweeny Todd – have had multiple adaptations, we *believe* we may be the first to adapt Varney the Vampire for video.
Our independent production had a low, nearly non-existent budget – not unlike the cheap original pamphlets themselves. But we were able to carve out a full season with a supportive fan-base and award nominations from Austin WebFest.
We hope you enjoy this 28 episode adaptation and that it spurs you to read the many further adventures of Sir Francis Varney!
Purchase the companion book
Experience Varney the Vampire (Or, The Feast of Blood) like never before—a stunning coffee table edition featuring the original text and illustrations. The perfect companion to our web series, it lets you delve into the classic tale and continue the adventure beyond the screen!
Volume I features the first thirty chapters. Volume II coming Spring 2025!
Watch Varney the Vampire free in its entirety on YouTube! If you enjoyed the series and want to support our future projects, your donation is greatly appreciated!
Meet The Cast
Sir Francis Varney
Flora Bannerworth
Henry Bannerworth
Mr. Marchdale
Charles Holland
Admiral Bell
Series Trailer
About Me
John Benjamin Faust
John Benjamin Faust is an actor, director and writer. He was the founding artistic director of Weird City Theatre Company in Austin, Texas and the producing director of Varney the Vampire (Or, The Feast of Blood). John has published several of his plays including Night of the Living Dead, Nosferatu, and My Father’s Funeral.
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