Boy in Darkness
Encyclopedia
Boy in Darkness is a horror novella written by Mervyn Peake
. It was first published in 1956 by Eyre & Spottiswoode
as part of the anthology Sometime, Never: Three Tales of Imagination. (The other stories were by William Golding
and John Wyndham
.) A corrupt version of Boy in Darkness was published both in an anthology, The Inner Landscape (1969), and separately in 1976 with an introduction by Peake's widow, Maeve Gilmore
. Referring to the corrupt text, she wrote that "although the Boy in Boy in Darkness is assuredly Titus Groan, [Peake] did not call him so by name" whereas adding the name Titus was precisely one of the changes that Peake made between writing and publishing his novella. The correct text has recently become available again in an anthology entitled Boy in Darkness and Other Stories, with a Foreword by Joanne Harris
and a Preface by Peake's son, Sebastian – plus Maeve Gilmore's Introduction from 1976, uncorrected.
Upon publication of the work in 1956, a Glasgow Herald reviewer called it "completely hair-raising". The story is one of Mervyn Peake's rare shorter works. After this he wrote only Titus Alone
(1959); by the time it was published Parkinson's Disease
had made writing almost impossible for him. He continued to draw, intermittently, for several more years.
when Titus Groan, referred to mostly as "the Boy" in the story, is a young teenager – so during the period covered by the second novel in the series, Gormenghast
. Yearning for freedom from his ceaseless duties as 77th Earl
of Gormenghast, he escapes the ancient castle and encounters the nightmare world outside.
, it utilized computer generated imagery and was set in a virtual world. The film starred Jack Ryder
(from EastEnders
) as Titus, with Terry Jones
(Monty Python's Flying Circus
) narrating..
Boy in Darkness was adapted for the stage by theatre company Curious Directive
and performed at the 2009 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, at Zoo Venues. The Stage
heralded it as a Must See saying the production was "Dark, haunting and uniquely inventive... Curious Directive’s adaptation of Mervyn Peake’s story is nothing short of phenomenal".
Mervyn Peake
Mervyn Laurence Peake was an English writer, artist, poet and illustrator. He is best known for what are usually referred to as the Gormenghast books. They are sometimes compared to the work of his older contemporary J. R. R...
. It was first published in 1956 by Eyre & Spottiswoode
Eyre & Spottiswoode
Eyre & Spottiswoode, Ltd. was the London based printing firm that was the King's Printer, and subsequently, after April 1929, a publisher of the same name...
as part of the anthology Sometime, Never: Three Tales of Imagination. (The other stories were by William Golding
William Golding
Sir William Gerald Golding was a British novelist, poet, playwright and Nobel Prize for Literature laureate, best known for his novel Lord of the Flies...
and John Wyndham
John Wyndham
John Wyndham Parkes Lucas Beynon Harris was an English science fiction writer who usually used the pen name John Wyndham, although he also used other combinations of his names, such as John Beynon and Lucas Parkes...
.) A corrupt version of Boy in Darkness was published both in an anthology, The Inner Landscape (1969), and separately in 1976 with an introduction by Peake's widow, Maeve Gilmore
Maeve Gilmore
Maeve Patricia Mary Theresa Gilmore, known professionally as Maeve Gilmore was a British painter, sculptor, and writer.- Personal background :...
. Referring to the corrupt text, she wrote that "although the Boy in Boy in Darkness is assuredly Titus Groan, [Peake] did not call him so by name" whereas adding the name Titus was precisely one of the changes that Peake made between writing and publishing his novella. The correct text has recently become available again in an anthology entitled Boy in Darkness and Other Stories, with a Foreword by Joanne Harris
Joanne Harris
Joanne Michèle Sylvie Harris is a British author.Biography=Born to a French mother and an English father in her grandparents' sweet shop, her family life was filled with food and folklore. Her great-grandmother had an odd reputation and enjoyed letting the gullible think she was a witch and healer...
and a Preface by Peake's son, Sebastian – plus Maeve Gilmore's Introduction from 1976, uncorrected.
Upon publication of the work in 1956, a Glasgow Herald reviewer called it "completely hair-raising". The story is one of Mervyn Peake's rare shorter works. After this he wrote only Titus Alone
Titus Alone
Titus Alone is a novel written by Mervyn Peake and first published in 1959. It is the fourth work in the Gormenghast series. The other works in the series are Titus Groan, Gormenghast, the novella Boy in Darkness, and the fragment Titus Awakes.-Plot summary:The story follows Titus' journey in the...
(1959); by the time it was published Parkinson's Disease
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
had made writing almost impossible for him. He continued to draw, intermittently, for several more years.
Plot summary
Boy in Darkness is an episode in the Gormenghast seriesGormenghast series
The Gormenghast series comprises three novels by Mervyn Peake, featuring Castle Gormenghast, and Titus Groan, the title character of the first book.-Works in the series:...
when Titus Groan, referred to mostly as "the Boy" in the story, is a young teenager – so during the period covered by the second novel in the series, Gormenghast
Gormenghast (novel)
Gormenghast, by Mervyn Peake, is the second novel in his Gormenghast series. It is the story of Titus Groan, 77th Earl of Groan and Lord of Gormenghast Castle, from age 7 to 17. As the story opens, Titus dreads the pre-ordained life of ritual that stretches before him...
. Yearning for freedom from his ceaseless duties as 77th Earl
Earl
An earl is a member of the nobility. The title is Anglo-Saxon, akin to the Scandinavian form jarl, and meant "chieftain", particularly a chieftain set to rule a territory in a king's stead. In Scandinavia, it became obsolete in the Middle Ages and was replaced with duke...
of Gormenghast, he escapes the ancient castle and encounters the nightmare world outside.
Film, TV or theatrical adaptations
Boy in Darkness was made into a short film in 2000. Created by the BBC Drama LabBBC television drama
BBC television dramas have been produced and broadcast since even before the public service company had an officially established television broadcasting network in the United Kingdom...
, it utilized computer generated imagery and was set in a virtual world. The film starred Jack Ryder
Jack Ryder (actor)
Jack Seigfried Ryder is an English actor, best known for playing Jamie Mitchell in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders from 1998 to 2002.-Biography:...
(from EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
) as Titus, with Terry Jones
Terry Jones
Terence Graham Parry Jones is a Welsh comedian, screenwriter, actor, film director, children's author, popular historian, political commentator, and TV documentary host. He is best known as a member of the Monty Python comedy team....
(Monty Python's Flying Circus
Monty Python's Flying Circus
Monty Python’s Flying Circus is a BBC TV sketch comedy series. The shows were composed of surreality, risqué or innuendo-laden humour, sight gags and observational sketches without punchlines...
) narrating..
Boy in Darkness was adapted for the stage by theatre company Curious Directive
Curious Directive
Curious Directive is a British Theatre company. The company is an ensemble of directors, producers, actors, bio-medical scientists, choreographers, writers, video artists, technicians, composers and designers, founded in 2008 by University of Warwick graduates....
and performed at the 2009 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, at Zoo Venues. The Stage
The Stage
The Stage is a weekly British newspaper founded in 1880, available nationally and published on Thursdays. Covering all areas of the entertainment industry but focused primarily on theatre, it contains news, reviews, opinion, features and other items of interest, mainly to those who work within the...
heralded it as a Must See saying the production was "Dark, haunting and uniquely inventive... Curious Directive’s adaptation of Mervyn Peake’s story is nothing short of phenomenal".