Last night we shapeshifted into bats and flew on over to Theatre@41 Monkgate to catch the inaugural production of newly-formed Neon Crypt…Dracula: The Bloody Truth!
All stoked up for Stoker? Don’t expect a classic retelling of Bram’s tale…this is Dracula done daft! Farcical fun, slapstick comedy and plenty of macabre mishaps a la The Play That Goes Wrong.
We first saw this production by creators Le Nevet Bete – one of our favourite theatre companies who often frequent York Theatre Royal. It’s difficult not to compare, but Neon Crypt do an admirable job and have bags of energy and enthusiasm. Purchasing the license, this is the same comedy of errors…complete with every prop gag, mishap and stumble.
Four actors and a tireless stage manager bring the text to life…or death? Laura Castle sinks her teeth into the title role, and you Count (see what I did there?) on her for a suitably larger than life performance. With panto credits aplenty, the audience warm to her right off the (vampire) bat. Castle’s Transylvanian accent is a treat, and a stark contrast to the more stoic Seward she also plays.
Jamie McKeller directs and produces, and is also Professor Abraham Van Helsing. His increasing frustration is a delight, and a bump on the head only exacerbates the funnies further. Van Helsing yearns to be in the piece rather than just narrate, and we’re all rooting for him to finally feature.
Real life wife and business partner Laura McKeller is Mina Harker, Arthur Holmwood and a whole host of other characters. With accents aplenty – and hats and wigs to match – she breezes through the plot and nails every entrance and exit. Master of a silly face, she gurns and grimaces with ease.
Lady McKeller is also responsible for the show’s production and costume design – both of which are excellent. A low budget works for this spoof-show, and there are some clever touches like origami ice-creams and an inventive horse and trap.
Michael Cornell plays Jonathan Harker and Lucy Westerna. At times Cornell is almost Monty Python-esque, with a screeching high voice and a penchant for cross-dressing. With a rich voice and sharp comic timing, he’s a versatile and engaging credit to the team.
Theatre@41 is an ideal space for Dracula: The Bloody Truth. The intimate setting draws us into the action, and the actors don’t shy from chatting to the audience…and even involving one unsuspecting front-row victim! The in-house team are friendly and welcoming, and it’s a fang-tastic opportunity to support a local community theatre.
Is it suitable for children? We took our two mini wizards (8 and 11 – odd names but it’s all I could think of) and they generally enjoyed the show, although lost track of the twists and turns of the plot. It’s not children’s theatre, and the suggested age rating of 8+ may be a little low here. There are a few naughty words and sex references, and more gyrating than we remember (!) – but overall it’s silly and visual enough to hold children’s interest.
Scary? Not really! This the hammiest of Hammer Horrors.
Dracula: The Bloody Truth runs at Theatre@41 until Saturday 10th May. Book your tickets at https://tinyurl.com/draculatruth
Disclaimer: Tickets were kindly provided for this performance, however all opinions are honest and are our own.
Review Wizard 