DRACULA

The Adelaide Repertory Theatre is brave indeed to stage Dracula. It is the sort of production that, done well, can be wonderful. However, get it even slightly wrong and it can go badly awry. Adelaide Repertory Theatre would have been wise to heed the fact that amateurs need to leave it out of their repertoire unless they are prepared to invest in effects to help create the necessary atmosphere.

With the obvious exception of various well-known spoofs, all serious theatrical versions of Dracula reflect the dark and terrifying nature of Bram Stoker’s original Gothic horror story. The 1897 book is so compelling, it is still in print today. Stoker also wrote a stage version. Scottish playwright Liz Lochhead’s long and wordy adaptation of Stoker’s work is the version undertaken by the Adelaide Repertory Theatre.

Although there needs to be a transfusion of energy and pace, the cast in the Adelaide Repertory Theatre’s production do their very best to overcome unimaginative staging. There are two standouts, in Matt Houston as Renfield and Allison Scharber as Nurse Grice. In their performances we see tantalising glimpses of what this production could be, especially in moments that require blatant sadism or depravity. Houston is uninhibited and tireless in his depiction of tragic, mad Renfield, with one of his scenes being so realistic and graphically sexual it may shock some people. Scharber embodies the violent, controlling and sadistic Nurse Grice, a woman who is the absolute antithesis of everything her nurse’s uniform represents. Her performance is a stellar one.

Lani Gerbi as Lucy Westermann and Anna Bampton as her sister Mina do quite well as the beautiful young women who seem fated to come under Count Dracula’s hypnotic control, but need to add more depth and nuance to their performances. Joshua Coldwell produces a controlled, strong performance as Arthur Seward. Sandy Adams is solid, if a little stilted, as Jonathan Harker. Rosie Williams is very good as Florrie Hathersage. Brian Knott has wonderful stage presence as Professor Van Helsing and lifts the energy levels on stage whenever he is present, demonstrating his wealth of experience. The asylum inmates are all well-characterised, with Hannah Nicholson’s shackled Louise particularly good. It is great to see two very young actors, Charlie Morman and little Mackinlee Martin, performing like troopers in this production.

Much of the success of Dracula rests on the shoulders of the actor playing the title role and so casting is crucial. Unfortunately, although he looks the part (if you agree the character should be presented in the traditional cape), Robert Drusetta’s Count Dracula is rather one-dimensional, not helped by a dearth of mystery in the play adaptation’s structure and in this case, its staging. There needs to be erotic tension between Count Dracula and his victims but Drusetta’s performance lacks the necessary mesmerising sexuality. There should also be a sense of chilling presence whenever Dracula is on stage, however this is mostly absent.

On opening night I was ready to sit back and be frightened, looking forward to a contemporary, innovative and chilling production, particularly as this Dracula is directed by Kerrin White, someone known for the quality of his work and his fresh approach to staging. Unfortunately, despite the hard work of the cast, I was disappointed.

In this production there is little sense of suspense and horror. This is contributed to by pedestrian lighting that contributes little to creating atmosphere. There is also no attempt at illusion or any other modern effects to enhance the atmosphere, with a billowing curtain on a fairly traditional set being the only suggestion of mystery and other-worldliness. The only truly frightening effects come from wonderful thunder-cracks within Hugh Hunkin’s strong sound design. In a telling reflection on the production, the thunder also served to wake at least one audience member sitting near me.

In the program, Director Kerrin White asks each audience member to ‘come to this production with a fresh perspective and let this story of The Undead scare the living hell out of you’.  The audience wants to oblige, but there is no fresh perspective in this production and I, for one, certainly wasn’t scared.

Lesley Reed