As we prepare for Night of The Living Dead - Remix invading the Playhouse in February we thought it imporant to take a closer look at the zombie nation.

While George A. Romero's original 1968 movie never mentions the word 'zombie', preferring to refer to the titular Living Dead as 'ghouls', the director is credited with blazing a trail for the modern zombie, and indeed horror, genre. With the tradition going back centuries through religion, folklore and latterly, pop culture, zombies operate in an evermore detailed framework shaped and expanded by each author delving into the undead narrative.

To prepare you for the visit of imitating the dog's daring prodution we've gathered some of the most interesting facts from the zombie realm...

1. Haitian Clairvius Narcisse is the most famous example of a “real-life” zombie. A voodou ritual combining powerful neurotoxins and hallucinogens puroportedly zombified Narcisse and his tale has been often repeated since.

2. The word “zombie” is thought to have been adapted from the African word nzambi meaning 'God'. “Le Grand Zombi,” or the Grand Serpent, was the father of all gods, and appeared in the shape of a python.

3. Zombie fans are called “Zombophiles.” 

4. Zombie lore dictates that there are only two ways to kill a zombie... go for the brain or cut off the head.

5. “Father of the modern zombie” George A. Romero is viewed as the creator of modern zombie cinema. He has directed more zombie films than anyone in history.

6. Some of the zombie make-up on Romero's seminal 1978 classic Dawn of the Dead was so evocative it made cast members physically sick.

7. Aside from humans, the unassuming ant can also be turned into a zombie. Parasitic fungus Ophiocordyceps can synchronise several ants to chew on a leaf and then die. The fungus then sprouts through the dead ants’ bodies.

8. A law in Haiti makes it a criminal office to turn someone into a zombie. Article 249 dictates that if someone drugs another person, buries them as though they were dead, and then digs the person up and brings him back to life, it is still considered murder.

9. World Zombie Day takes place around the globe on 8th October. City centres worldwide become infested with the living dead as mass parades take place and raise money for charity.

10. Zombies by their very nature are inconsistent.

Night of The Living Dead™ - Remix runs from Tuesday 18 Feb - Saturday 22 Feb 2020 at the Playhouse.

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD ™ - REMIX is presented by courtesy of Image Ten, Inc