CONTENT WARNINGS: This show may contain flashing lights and themes of violence, predatory or abusive behaviour, and suicide that some may find frightening or distressing.
As you walk into the Little Theatre at Adelaide University, black and red decorations adorn the front room, consisting of fake spider webs, roses, and more. Meanwhile, in the theatre, rock music, the silhouette of an imposing castle, and a handwritten version of the Lord’s Prayer are waiting.
You may agree with the opening line of the director’s note in the program: “Vampires. They’ve been done to death.” But this performance of Dracula shows that Vampires have a way of implanting themselves into our minds and evolving to slip into our culture. “Dracula, A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really,” is full of sass, female frustration, excellent era-appropriate outfits, great accents, and well-timed jokes.
The cast has an easy familiarity with one another, leading to complementary performances which feel natural – you won’t find any awkward deliveries, wooden lines, or mis-timed jokes in this performance. Every line is delivered with precision, consistent accents (unless they’re not meant to be), and a strong projection that reaches the back rows. The accompanying music did not overwhelm the performers, was well-suited for the performance, and found a solid balance between traditional gothic Dracula and current day music.
As this was opening night, there were a couple of hiccups with lighting cues, but all were quickly rectified and well covered – I’m not entirely convinced they were hiccups, but rather well-planned timing. Otherwise, the lighting was spot-on across the performance, with clever use of red lights, spotlights, and lanterns. The lighting team did a wonderful job playing with shadows as they were needed, and assisting in building the ambience of the show.
The stagehands deserve their own moment in the spotlight, too. They snuck on stage between scenes, cleaned, found dropped jewellery, and efficiently moved heavy-looking furniture with relative ease in the near darkness. A job well done to keep the performance moving seamlessly.
With a stage in a semi-circle, the sets were simple, with every item carefully planned and chosen for its moment on stage. The only concern I had was for the performers’ knees as they slid in and out of the bed. Not enough to distract from the performance, though. The sets are simple but telling enough that the audience don’t find themselves guessing where they are at any point, but can fill in some of the gaps for the missing parts (windows, walkways, and the like) for themselves.
Audiences are reminded and advised that Dracula is a dark story, and this performance is no different. The performance does not hold back from raw emotions; screaming and shouting are not off the table for this enthralling performance. If you choose a front row seat, don’t be surprised if your shoes have a little glitter on them as you leave.
To book tickets to Dracula, A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really, please visit http://www.trybooking.com/DMMKT.
