The Thrills and Chills of Dracula

Get ready for a show that will keep you on the end of your seat.

Dr. Abram Van Helsing (William McNulty) has arrived at his dear friend Dr. Seward’s (Ryan Didato) estate in Purley, England. Helsing comes to aid his dear friend – who is desperate for help – with the loss of his fiancée Mina (Cast of the Undead). Mina died of an unknown illness with baffling symptoms of severe shortage of blood, nightly sleep walking trips in the cemetery, and two small perforations on her neck. Shockingly, Mina’s friend Lucy (Emily Bennett) has begun to show the same exact symptoms. Simultaneously, a peculiar man by the name of Count Dracula (Howard Kaye) has taken up residence in the nearby Carfax Abbey. He is very strange, often appearing seemingly out of thin air. To make matters even worse, Lucy’s fiancée Jonathan Harker (Jacob Sabinsky) has not been seen ever since he went to Count Dracula’s castle in Transylvania. Meanwhile, as Lucy’s symptoms grow worse and Dr. Seward continues to become more worried by the day, Van Helsing assumes that maybe the disease is like nothing they’ve ever seen. Could they be dealing with a vampire? Watch as Van Helsing and his companions set off to put an end to the blood sucking demon’s havoc.

One of the most extraordinary aspects of this play was the staging. To make this story come to life, the stage had to be very complex without giving away any secrets. The changes from scene to scene the stage directors did on the stage using the little space they had was absolutely ingenious. In just ten seconds the audience was transported from the dark basement of Dr. Seward’s estate to the gloomy, fog filled cemetery where Dracula preyed on his victims. Although many people would think the hydraulic stage would serve as a disadvantage, the actors perfectly manipulated it to their benefit. In one scene, as your eyes are focused on Jonathan Harker trying to escape from Dracula’s castle, the gypsies slowly ascend from the depths of the stage adding a terrifying affect to the scene. This could not be done with a regular stage. Also, this allows for scene changes that are silent and quick which do not cause a distraction from the main happenings on the stage. Other than the actual technical parts of the staging, it was also interesting how the actors were staged. Even though they were acting on a stage in the round it was very easy to see every scene because it seemed as though they never had their backs to the audience. They moved constantly which enabled every seat in the theatre an amazing view of the scenes.

Another part of the show that was really enjoyable was the storyline. The storyline of Dracula was varied which always kept the audience on the end of their seat not knowing exactly what would happen next. Even though some scenes seemed “slow,” they were significant to the buildup of the story and the overall outcome. For example, some of the scenes where they were examining Lucy seemed to be not as action filled as some of the others, but it was crucial to the development of the characters and story. The action scenes of the play were of course a favorite for the viewers and were found to be remarkable. It was a great combination in the play between the fast paced action scenes and the slower paced ones dealing with the people being affected by Dracula.

The lighting and sound effects of Dracula were absolutely astonishing. For instance, throughout the play the weather was very gloomy. The sounds of thunder booming and the sudden flashes of light made the audience feel like they were in the middle of an authentic thunderstorm. The sound directors also did an amazing job with the music that they played in the background. The different tempos related with the scene that was occurring which greatly improved the intensity of what was going on. During the action scenes, the music gets faster and faster causing your heartbeat to do the same. Furthermore, the lighting techniques they used also further expanded the realism that the play directors were trying to capture. The green and blue lights that illuminated the fog under the actor’s feet in the cemetery created an amazing effect that kept the audience on their toes. The combination of light and sound made the play much better than it would be without.

Overall, the quality of show that Actors Theatre presented to the audience was highly impressive. The people behind the production ingeniously combined the effects of lighting, amazing acting, staging, and many more into one amazing masterpiece. Throughout the show everyone was on the end of their seats excited for the next scene that was to occur. The show was stunning and definitely one worth seeing. This is definitely recommended to anyone with a craving for thrills, chills, and an overall breathtaking performance.

#JustinPrice