Dracula
- Steve Griffiths
- 2 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Bram Stoker adap Nick Lane, music Tristan Parkes
Blackeyed Theatre, Harrogate Theatre, South Hill Park Arts Centre
Bolton Octagon
May 21-24, 2025; 2 hrs 25 mins
This production of Dracula by Blackeyed Theatre, directed and adapted by Nick Lane, is unusual for a couple of reasons.
First, it is produced without public subsidy - which means the audience is a key supporter of the company; which ensures our voice and applause matters more than usual.
Secondly, it uses a device more often found in dodgy politicians; yes we may be bad - but look
at the opposition.
Early in the play Dracula who – many of you will know – likes the odd snack of human blood, reckons he is only following in the path of the British Empire. It would surprise me if original author Brad Stoker had this view in mind; but every generation, magpie like, takes what it wants from the past.
The production is faithful to the original in many ways, which makes this change all the more glaring and brings up the most obvious problem; the show's pace. If you want to use the original words and style of the work, then inevitably it will slow things down. The actors, especially David Chafer (Van Helsing) and Pele Kelland-Beau (Harker), do their best to generate vigour. The effects help, and add to the tension; a scene featuring the voyage from Transylvania to Whitby really gets the audience to feel the angst, as one person after another disappears from view into the maw of the beast.
But as those who know about vampires will testify, an essential way to avoid blood-draining exercise is to stay awake. In this respect, this production isn't a big help...
As the ensemble plays several different roles, it's not easy to single out individuals. As a group they
act, sing and do the work of stage hands to perfection. It's hard work being an actor in any
production at the Octagon; you have to be able to create a castle, complete with savage wolves, a
sailing boat complete with storms and a cemetery in Whitby, in a relatively small space. The show uses this space to perfection. So hats off to the company for a blood-tingling performance.
More info and tickets here
