Dracula

As usual we were very warmly welcomed by Linda Adair and her front of house ladies in their yellow sashes.  Photos in the foyer showed the forthcoming show and there was an eager audience waiting to see the play.

John Godber and Jane Thornton's version of Dracula was written for Hull Truck Company in the mid-nineties, and was intended as a small-scale, non- frightening alternative to Bram Stoker’s book. This was a very long play, full of good, imaginative ideas and a sinister superb cobwebbed set designed by the very talented director Helen Rasmussen, which went some way to countering a surprisingly leaden written script. Helen directed the production with her usual confidence and skill, and had obviously overcome the obstacles that had befallen her during the last week of the run.  

Jake Powell playing Johnathan Harker narrated throughout the play. His maturity on stage was incredible for someone of just 17. Tall and handsome he gave a natural engaging performance. Some issues with his clarity of speech meant that sometimes we did not hear everything he said and maybe if he slowed down his delivery slightly it would have helped. Never the less a good performance and I look forward to seeing him progress as he gains experience on stage with future productions.

 The sinister Dracula was tall and imposing with white makeup to age him. In Act 1 he gave us a charming Count who commanded the stage and made us feel uncomfortable from his very first entrance. Neil Fisher did an excellent job and I’m sure enjoyed every spine tingling minute he was on stage. In Act 2 he seemed to have grown younger and used his charisma to gain his vampire brides. I loved seeing the fangs he wore in one of the scenes. Keeping them in to talk is difficult but this detail added to his horrific persona.

The two main lead ladies, Mina Murray (Heather Sims Lucas) and Lucy Westenra (Michelle Edgington) were excellent with clear speech and lovely performances.  Lucy went from innocent girl to vampish, vampire bride and Mina showed her emotions well, as her friend Lucy died and Mina’s life spiralled into despair as the Count hunted her.  

The bewildered Dr John Seward (Paul Fisher) who ran the lunatic asylum and in love with Lucy, gave a sterling performance as he tried to understand what was happening but there were again some clarity of speech issues, sometimes when we couldn’t hear all he said. I did however like his stance and characterisation as the good Doctor. 

David Ford played Reinfield, with relish; he obviously enjoyed his role as the incarcerated patient of the English asylum. This was played very effectively in front of a corner flat painted with hand prints. He sustained his character going from quiet unassuming inmate, to mad, in a second. I loved his facial expressions and all I would have asked is that wardrobe mistress had made sure he had taken off his colourful socks, as it did look a bit odd against the rest of his costume. Bare feet would have finished the character. 

Arthur Holmwood (Ian McDonald) was the upright, very serious fiancé of Lucy. His jealousy of Dr Sewell as he kept moving between her and  the Doctor  was a nice touch but I would have loved more of a tender kiss each time to show his love for her. Good clear projection and performance. 

The choir of the undead who also played characters throughout the show worked incredibly hard. (Silas Powell, Mabel Odonkor, Martin Adams and Ghislaine Davis).  In the script it asks for the screams, speech  and some of the text to be projected behind the set but Helen had them on stage sitting throughout the show and getting up to become different characters as the play went on. I did like this way of presenting them but sometimes found it a bit distracting when acting was going on down stage. I have to mention Mabel Odonkor who although only had a small speech in Act 2, also showed erotic frissons as a seductive succubus. She is someone that you love to watch and I think she has real talent and look forward to seeing her do more on stage. Her red dress was a clever touch. 

The curse of Dracula has visited many a group and again this happened at Maldon. First Robin Winder who was playing Val Helsing became ill with just a week before the play went up and at the last minute the Chairman of the group Scott Peters ably stepped in with the book. This did not detract from the show and at the end all the cast showed their gratitude with a present for him on stage which was well deserved.  

Then during the performance, the company had someone fall ill in the front row and had to stop the show. This was all handled very well and they continued the show again after the interval with four pages of Act 1 then continuing with Act 2. Well done to everyone involved who went through the correct procedures and the cast who carried on. A difficult thing to do but ably managed by all.  

The effective excellent lighting and sound (Simon Cooke and Michelle Fisher) and the gasps, howls and screams of the chorus made this an exciting production. Simon’s choice of colours complimented the set well and the wolf gobo on the back wall added to the chills of the evening. The final tableau in red lighting was a great touch. Each time I see a new production at Maldon, the lighting gets better and better, the group should be very happy to have such a talented lighting designer in their company. 

Costumes and wigs by The Dressing Up Box and Patsy Page were suitable for the production and the red dress for Mabel certainly stood out. Props by Anne Hine were excellent and the stage setting beautiful. I loved the gothic tall chairs and other small pieces dotted around the stage.  

Stage Manager, Gill Peregrine obviously did a great job as at no time were there any gaps between scenes.

 Congratulations to all for a difficult night and week. It just goes to show how hard work and a great team working together can produce a good evening’s entertainment against all the odds.

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