A community that sunk its teeth into local myths

> Scroll down to see the full video of the story behind this project! <

Following the overwhelming positive response to ‘The Mystery of the Missing Market’ in Ockendon in late October 2024, Teatro Vivo (a professional theatre company that co-creates work with communities) turned its attention to their second creative commission with Start Thurrock in early 2025 –– this time working with the residents of Purfleet – on – Thames.

In March 2024, we held ‘Creative Springs’ which invited residents to vote on which projects they’d like to see brought to life in their area. Although ‘The Myths of the Marshes’ won the initial public vote, the audience had come from across the wards of Thurrock, so we returned to the Purfleet community during the Christmas light switch on for a second hyper-local vote. Once again, ‘The Myths of the Marshes’ emerged as the clear favourite. This diligence in our approach to sense check and honour local decision-making allowed Start Thurrock to strengthen trust with residents. 

The premise of the project was based on Bram Stoker’s historic connection to Purfleet – on – Thames and the playful idea of his great, great, great granddaughter returning to the town to complete a novel she was struggling with and she hopes the marshes will inspire her. This literary thread offered a creative lens to reveal folklore, historical figures with links to Purfleet, and the unique landscape. 

The project was supported by the Purfleet-on-Thames Community Forum, Purfleet Community Pantry & Cafe, and Purfleet Hub. Start Thurrock also helped the forum to secure additional Arts Council England funding which enabled the show to be fully realised and meant they could offer a paid trainee producer role for a Purfleet resident, plus two producer training workshops delivered by Teatro Vivo. A wide programme of targeted workshops and open engagement sessions took place at Purfleet Primary School, Riverview Youth Club, Riverview Girls’ Group, Thurrock Music Hub, and Mulberry Drive Hall. The final performance featured professional actors, local residents, and schoolchildren who all performed side-by-side.

Audiences began in the Royal Hotel as Stoker’s fictional descendent introduced her creative dilemma. The bartender –– later revealed to be Dracula himself –– sent groups on a journey, using ‘ancient earth’ with magical properties to conjure up the spirits of the past. Along the way, they came across war veterans at the Royal Memorial outside St Stephen’s Church who performed a spoken word and movement piece, and then they met a lively punk band led by Queen Elizabeth I herself. They then weaved their way to the Beacon where they encountered pickled pirates who performed a spooky dance routine, and then on to The Heritage and Military Centre where they met Morris, who met his demise there in 1882. The story culminated in Stoker’s granddaughter realising the stories of the past weren’t her stories to tell. They belong to Purfleet and weren’t hers to take. The final performance ended with a poignant and celebratory song that named present-day residents who contributed to the project, and who support the community, performed by local musicians and the entire cast.

Overall, we reached 240 participants and 19 people attended the producer workshops. The local resident who was given paid work experience now works in a freelance capacity with Start Thurrock and has just been offered a part-time job with another local creative organisation. Thanks to Teatro Vivo’s skilled facilitators, a young neurodiverse participant who previously couldn’t manage to take part in a group with other children for more than five minutes, was fully integrated into the performance, forming friendships for the first time. Community organisations were brought together for the project and new relationships were established. We also brought local groups into each other’s spaces and have forged links we hope will lead to more co-productions in the future. Passers-by who saw the show or the on-site rehearsals were astounded that such a high-quality piece of theatre was happening in their area. 

This piece demonstrated that when communities are genuinely involved from the outset and come together to shape content, generate ideas, and take part, they leave a legacy far beyond the final performance. Importantly, it reminded residents to cherish, celebrate, and share the stories of their past.