Shake and Stir with their multi-award winning productions of 1984 and Animal Farm are renowned for their edgy interpretations of classics but their production of Bram Stoker’s cult classic Dracula touring nationally is their best yet, excelling all gory expectations.

 

Waiting in the foyer the room fills with mist, the audience is seated in low red lighting and the stage is masked in darkness. A stilled hush permeates the theatre as the audience is drawn into a frightening blackness chilled with horrible anticipation. Shirt collars are tightened and necks covered just in case Dracula is already at large.

 

After a long deadening pause in the inky blackness the narrative begins with the young lawyer Jonathan Harker (Michael Wahr) describing his terrifying experience at Castle Dracula deep within the Carpathian mountains of Transylvania where he was imprisoned by his hideous and callous host, Count Dracula (Nick Skubij). Caged like an animal to be milked nightly for his blood, Jonathan finally escapes and journeys back to London only to find that the now young hipster Count Dracula seeks Jonathan's wife Mina (Nelle Lee) to be his eternal partner in the realms of the undead.

 

Lucy (Adele Querol), the friend of Mina, is the first victim becoming a crazed vampiric succubus enticing Jack (Ross Balbuziente) her once spurned lover to allow her to imbibe his life force as she seductively tugs at his flies. Jack is the doctor in the local asylum housing the comical insectivorous lunatic and devotee of Dracula, Renfield (David Whitney.)

 

 

Mina and Jack help Lucy recover from her nightly vampiric visitations, but it is too late and Van Helsing (David Whitney) persuades Jack to finish her off with a bloody stake through the heart and decapitation leaving the audience laughing at the blatant comedy, but chilled by the poignant coffin scene. Jack’s actions are soon punished by Dracula himself with a gut-wrenching twist of the head leaving him splayed and broken.

 

The fight scenes directed by Nigel Poulten ramp up the terror with surprise, convincing violence and gore. Creepy music, subdued lighting and special effects with the cleverly designed turning spiral staircase and alcoves also enhanced every spooky scene. The most terrifying stunt utilised flashes of lightning to reveal Dracula climbing down backwards, head first between two buildings to pounce on his victim. The vision was so shocking it was reminiscent of the famous spider walk scene from the Exorcist.

 

This spectacular ghastly production had the perfect balance of suspense, terror, magic, and humour perpetuating a rapid heartbeat and a whirlwind of emotions. At any time you could be shrinking into, or jumping out of your seat as Dracula silently stalks a victim, or suddenly teleports onto the stage moments after he was ominously peering through a distant window!

 

Van Helsing created the much needed comedic relief with his black satirical humour in each terrifying situation, momentarily relieving the audience from their petrified suspense. Dracula’s magical powers also wowed the audience as he set Jonathan’s letter home aflame with a wave of his talons and flambéed the crucifix grasped in Van Helsing’s hands. With the clever use of a rotating stage, the sinister Count even appeared to glide towards his victims creating gasps from the audience.

 

As a seeker of the macabre and host of the paranormal Radio Show The Witching Hour, Shake and Stir’s horrific interpretation of Dracula far surpassed any other adaptations and you’d be a bloody fool to miss it!

 

By  Dr Gemma Regan 

 

Dracula at QPAC, 

Aug 17th-2nd Sept 2017