Dracula continues at the Pleasance Courtyard (Pleasance Beyond) until 25 August.
Director and writer Alexandra Spencer-Jones has been one to watch for a number of years now. Her sexy, raucous, vivid Dracula shows that all the attention has been worthwhile. The rock soundtrack (played on setting 11) is immersed in the action as the instruments are all played live by the cast throughout.
There is a feel of the good old Archaos about this piece: the pace is relentless, the direction precise, the styling and design immaculate (in a grungy, corset-like way). The tones throughout are of sepia with white and black – all the better to show up the scarlet of the blood – and there is a fair amount of it. The costumes are all in the same colour palette, with motifs of cogs in amongst the ribbons and lace – all delightfully and artily tattered.
Alongside the playing of the instruments, the vocal performances are simply superb. Musical director Joanna Cichonska leads the cast brilliantly from her onstage lair. The set itself is almost a character in the show – the rusting instrument carcasses that adorn every level speak of times past and how that past becomes one with the present: surely one of the central themes of Dracula itself. The set adapts swiftly and seamlessly from bedroom to castle; from indoors to a street; from a train to another bedroom…
Characterisation is never a problem with this talented cast. Their understanding of their own characters and relationship to each other is crystal clear in every move and word spoken or sung.
This rock opera had the audience standing, roaring their approval. Keep it up, Ms Spencer-Jones – we’re still watching you with great interest.
Fiona Orr
* Action To The Word
https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/dracula
SHARE THIS POST:
Comments are closed.