By now, the tale of Dracula and other assorted vampires is so familiar to New York theatergoers (see: the posters in the front corner at Joe Allen) that it’s pretty much played out. If you want to put a blood-thirsty, cape-swirling count on stage, you gotta get a gimmick (see: Kate Hamill’s recent version, a self-described “feminist revenge fantasy”).
Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen’s diverting new Dracula, which just opened at New World Stages, is subtitled A Comedy of Terrors, which gives you a hint of the zaniness that’s in store. Think Monty Python, with fewer silly walks. The madcap, manic Tricycle Theatre production of The 39 Steps. Perhaps a dash of the Ridiculous Theatrical Company, without the glitter.
[Read Sandy MacDonald’s ★★★★☆ review here.]
Entering through a mysterious haze—cue the actors with aerosol cans of fog—Dracula (James Daly) is hot, blond, and heavily into real estate. He’s also jacked—there must be a Soloflex somewhere in that Transylvania mansion. His broker, the sweet but timid Jonathan (Andrew Keenan-Bolger), makes the mistake of pulling out a photo of his lovely fiancée, Lucy (Jordan Boatman). That’s when the hip-swiveling, leather-clad night owl decides he must have her.
The count packs up his cape and hitches a ride on the SS Stoker, which sails straight into a storm—cue the actors with spray bottles of water. Curiously, all the passengers, notes the captain (Ellen Harvey) in his log, have died from “a mysterious illness of the blood.” What could it be?
Eventually, Dracula, impeccably dressed—his suit and cape held up beautifully through the shipwreck (are they permanent press?)—crashes Lucy and Jonathan’s engagement party, through a mysterious haze (cue the aerosol fog). But he brings a plate of homemade babka, because he’s polite like that. “It’s gluten free, cruelty-free, vegan, non-GMO, and certified organic,” he tells Lucy’s father, Dr. Westfeldt (also played by Harvey), acknowledging Jonathan’s absurd dietary restrictions. “I also brought one for the rest of us that tastes good.” Biding his time until he can sink his teeth into Lucy’s delicate skin, Dracula plans his next meals: the insect-eating mental patient Renfield (Harvey again); and Lucy’s inelegant and very husky sister, Mina (Arnie Burton).
Greenberg, who also directs, and Rosen are blessed with an extremely versatile cast: With the exception of Daly, all the actors play two or more parts. Harvey switches between Westfeldt and Renfield at a dizzying pace. After clopping around as the awkward Mina, Burton reenters as Dr. Van Helsing. And if you’ve seen Burton in Peter and the Starcatcher or The 39 Steps, you know no one is better at changing characters on a dime, or deadpanning lines like “Meanwhile, I discovered another gray hair down near my—” and “You know I can’t read words.”
And if you’re expecting historical accuracy, you’ve come to the wrong place. Bet you never thought you’d hear a Mamma Mia reference in a Dracula show. Or see a re-creation of The Beatles’ iconic Abbey Road album cover. Then again, you probably never thought you’d get a straight-up comic take on the century-plus-old story.
Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors opened Sept. 18, 2023, at New World Stages and runs through Jan. 7, 2024. Tickets and information: draculacomedy.com
