All screen no bite Erivo’s Dracula visually dazzles but fails to sink its teeth in

Dracula | Noël Coward Theatre until the 30th of May

Some stories have haunted audiences for over a century, and Dracula is one of them. This stage adaptation at the Noël Coward Theatre transforms the classic tale into a visually ambitious one-woman production starring Cynthia Erivo.

The result is often visually striking, yet it seems to lack a distinctive take on the story. With so many prior incarnations, any new version needs a clear point of view or a compelling reason for its existence. It should be funny, sexy, homoerotic given the story’s potential as a metaphor for homosexuality, or genuinely scary. Unfortunately, this production does not explore any of these avenues, settling instead for a rather disappointing and straightforward retelling that ultimately feels anaemic.

On paper, it promises thrills. On stage, however, it is a curious blend of ingenuity and strain. Director Kip Williams clearly aims to push the boundaries of theatrical storytelling. His adaptation blends live performance with film-making techniques, employing roaming cameras, pre-recorded sequences, and towering screens to multiply the central performer across the stage. The visuals are frequently impressive, though this ingenuity sometimes makes the story harder to follow.

Williams previously achieved great success with this technique in The Picture of Dorian Gray starring Sarah Snook, which I found far better suited to this approach, and in The Maids, which used a slightly different approach with live video relay primarily from smartphones.

At its best, this hybrid method offers variety and visual engagement, but technical innovation cannot replace dramatic clarity. The biggest crime in theatre is boredom, and the end result here flirts with it.

Erivo attacks the role with formidable energy. It demands stamina, constant transformation, and precise timing with the surrounding technology. Her physical stamina is well established. She ran a marathon in New York before performing in two shows of The Colour Purple.

She is undoubtedly an incredibly talented performer and singer, a fact reinforced by a brief song towards the end. This interlude made me wonder if the piece might have been better conceived as a musical, though no vampire musical has ever achieved the success of the play. The Lost Boys, soon to open in New York, is clearly hoping to break this curse.

However, the central problems lie in diction and character differentiation. While Erivo’s pace and energy are commendable, her diction falters. This is another instance of a microphone failing to compensate for a lack of clarity. Furthermore, she seems to possess a limited range of character voices, hindering the storytelling. Bizarrely, her Dracula seems to hail from Nigeria rather than Transylvania.

While there were reports of visible auto-cues during previews, I am happy to report that none were evident during my recent viewing. Many successful one-person shows exist without such technology, and learning one’s lines is, in my view, fundamental. As Noël Coward famously said, learn your lines and do not bump into the furniture.

Genuine skill is on display. The visible crew and camera operators move constantly, swirling around the diminutive Erivo, coordinating with the pre-recorded sequences with precision. However, a one-person show hinges on the performer’s ability to bring each character to life. When this clarity is absent, it becomes an endurance test for the audience rather than a captivating journey.

Kip Williams’s cinematic staging and large-screen design create striking images, and Cynthia Erivo’s stamina and singing are impressive. Yet unclear character differentiation and no clear perspective leave the piece feeling technically clever but theatrically anaemic.

Follow EyeOnLondon for clear reporting on London, culture and the wider world.

Follow us on:

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest videos and updates!

We value your thoughts! Share your feedback and help us make EyeOnLondon even better!