Dracula Revamped

The opening night of this panto-esque comedy was at the start of the third heatwave, and I received a warm welcome from the front of house team. Director Leigh Perry made use of all the fun and silliness in the script, which moved at good pace through lots of scene changes. The stage crew were kept busy with full stage and half stages scenery, and spinning front flats. The coffin and train carriage builds were very effective, and the downlighting for the outside wooded area worked well, I liked the music used for the three-character chase, though it could perhaps have made use of more of the entrances / exits available. The full stage Dracula Castle in Act 2 was great with some nice creative details.

The show had lots of principal roles, lead by Robyn Tyler as Duffy Van Helsing giving just the right amount of earnest vampire slayer and grumpy teen. Teresa Paddon played Dame Plasma Van Helsing with much gusto and inuendo, and fun interaction with the audience. The classic panto villain was Dracula and his hidden identity Major Artery, Nick Hewes played it very well, cuttingly sarcastic at times. James Pugh was Fred Corpuscle, Duffy’s would-be boyfriend who gets mind-controlled by Dracula, as does Doctor Paul Bearer, played by Ross McTaggart, both fun to watch. Inspector Ventricle (Sue Walker) and PC Platelet (Charlie Willett) were a great double act. Nicolle Paddon played Rema Globin, Duffy’s friend with the hots for the Doctor, and Paul Welton was Morris Van Helsing in the 2nd half, discovered within a coffin at Dracula’s Castle after 10 years absence. The cast had four more members covering nine roles, giving everyone plenty to do.

The costumes were a mix of time eras and sources selected for the individual characters - tartan steam punk, classic Dracula, modern suits, 1940s style battenburg tanktop and slacks, olde english peasant, bavarian influence, flamenco style, a regency gent, pretty balconette dress, an intrepid explorer, and a velvety bat with lovely wings.

The off-stage announcements and vampire attack screams worked well, and the dialogue was at a good volume throughout, though the sound effects were a bit too loud at times, and some lines were lost. Lighting was effective, I liked the reveal of Major changing into Dracula with the spinning chair, and the classic Dracula lightning light and sound effect. On the night I attended, the change from Dracula into a bat needed a little more time for him to exit before the flapping bat dropped and hovered.

I’d like to make special mention of James Milne as stand-in Stage Manager, in addition to his Front of House duties and on-stage roles. Thank you to Wickham Bishops Drama Club for the hospitality, and well done on performing a fun gothic comedy.

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