Dracula - The Bloody Truth

Abbey Community Theatre (ACT)

Saturday 29th November

Dracula – The Bloody Truth by John Nicholson and Le Navet Bete

I attended the Abbey Community Theatre's (ACT) Saturday performance of John Nicholson and Le Navet Bete’s Dracula – The Bloody Truth and was absolutely side-swiped by the hilarity of the production. This fast-paced, delightfully silly, and faithful(-ish) adaptation of Bram Stoker's classic novel transforms the Gothic horror into a brilliant physical comedy.

The premise sees Professor Van Helsing, played by Jack Dawson as our earnest narrator, recruiting amateur actors to stage the "bloody truth" about the Count. The energy was electric from the start.

The cast of seven tackled over 30 roles between them, executing lightning-fast changes and incredibly slick dialogue that left me breathless with laughter. The physical comedy company Le Navet Bete would be proud of this amateur take!

Standout Performances

While the entire ensemble worked like a well-oiled (and sometimes comically collapsing) machine, the cast were fantastic.  Joe Johnson was wonderfully menacing and absurd as Dracula himself.  John Williams charmed as Lucy Westenra.  Emma Holmes brought great energy to Mina Murray.  Craig Jones impressed as Dr. Seward.  Poppy Dawson was a standout as the manic Renfield.  Poppy was astounding and received a n appreciative round of applause after her main scene.  Sarah Laing rounded out the cast as Margaret. There were also characterful moments played by the cast as cart drivers, (craig and Poppy) Vampire Brides, (Poppy), Dad & Son (Poppy), Arthur Holmwood (Emma), and a whole host more.

Production Highlights

The technical aspects of the show were key to the comedy. The set, ingeniously designed and built by Kevin Johnson, was a star in its own right. It featured clever doors and props and was engineered to comically collapse and change scenes right before our eyes, perfectly matching the chaotic tone of the performance.

The lighting and sound design enhanced the action brilliantly, generating even more hilarity through purposefully mistimed or entirely wrong sound effects, which the audience absolutely ate up.  Wardrobe and costumes Lynn Yates – included subtle touches to each character, hats and wigs were used well, I loved the way some were constructed to aid the swift changes that were required.

The backstage crew, under SM Colin Reay worked hard all evening, with many stage props, scene changes, and clever timing. (Sound and Lighting Laura Ilkiw-Jenkins and Val King). All seemed to run smoothly, with fast, slick changes throughout.

Sadly, your informative programme could not be entered into the NODA Programme competition, because it did not include all the required elements. I also noticed you did not include the names of the authors of your play.  On the other hand, your poster will be entered into the poster competition 2025.  More details can be found on NODA.org.uk website.

ACT provided a warm welcome at The Abbey Centre, and delivered a production that offered abundant opportunities for the cast to sink their teeth into—and they seized everyone! This production of Dracula: The Bloody Truth is a triumph of timing and silliness. Thank you for meeting me after the show and allowing me to walk your set. Directors Lynn Yates and Bill Horsley had put a huge amount of time and energy into this production and it was superb. 

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