In a time long past, a horrific disease known as 'The Red Death" devastates the kingdom of the Prince Prospero. Abandoning the country to its fate, Prospero retreats to the seclusion of a fortified abbey, accompanied by his wife, Ligeia, and a thousand loyal companions. Once inside, they barricade the doors and prepare to wait out the disease, surrounded by every worldly comfort. Yet, what happens when something festers within the walls of the abbey that is far worse than the dangers lurking outside? And how will the courtiers endure, as the months of their isolation wear on? Since its publication almost 200 years ago, Poe's The Masque of the Red Death has become a staple of Gothic literature. This adaptation takes the original story and fleshes it out, exploring broader themes, including: love and heartbreak, crisis and political struggle, health and chronic illness, decency and decadence, and life and death in their most brutal forms... Content warnings: Death (including discussions of the death sentence and infanticide) Murder Chronic illness Grief Outdated attitudes to gender Class prejudice Megalomania (and depictions of legal injustice) Alcohol use Domestic abuse Coercive / controlling behaviour Power abuse perpetrated by figures of authority Gore (costumes / masks painted with red to look like blood)