Dracula – Capstone Theatre, Liverpool

Adapted by: John Godber and Jane Thornton

Director: Andrew Cooper

Reviewer: Vicki Goodwin

The Public Reviews Rating:

Bram Stokers gothic horror story needs very little introduction. Written in the late nineteenth century, the tale of Dracula has captivated audiences around the world with its chilling portrayal of an aristocratic nobleman with an insatiable desire for blood. The very name Dracula has become synonymous with vampires and the macabre. On hearing it one cannot help but imagine a cloaked figure blending into shadows, or creeping along the foot of our beds as we sleep. In an age that is still captivated by the vampire sub-genre, it seems fitting that Rock the Boat productions has brought the story to life once more at Liverpool’s Capstone Theatre.

Director Andrew Cooper has chosen to work with the John Godber and Jane Thornton adaptation of the novel. A choice that works well in the intimate surroundings of the Capstone Theatre. It is perhaps the claustrophobic stage setting that proves itself to be the main hindrance throughout most of the performance. Modern audiences have been exposed to countless film adaptations over the years, and film can do something that a small space can only strive towards in terms of grandeur. When imaging the tale of Count Dracula, we envision a huge crumbling castle in Transylvania, rolling fog, the crashing waves against rocks in Whitby. Whilst the crew do an impressive job of projecting images onto the stage, a technique that I always admire, I can’t help but feel that the cast would have been more comfortable with a stage that they could move around in.

Despite issues with space, the play begins well with Ryan Moohan’s confident portrayal of Jonathan Hawker. Other cast members that deserve credit are David Bradley as Van Helsing, his mannerisms and accent proving popular with the audience. Eleanor Kilroy plays Nina Hawker, a role she excels in. I was also particularly happy to see the character of Renfield adapted to fit a woman. It’s always interesting to see a new twist on a classic, and Hannah Burkhardt’s Renfield was just that. It is of course the man himself that audiences most desire to see. Chris Boyle embodied the very character of Dracula. Calm and reserved when needed, but always hinting at the volatile emotions that lurk beneath his aristocratic exterior. Dracula needs to inspire fear within those who happen upon him, and his sinister gaze and prowling step, do just that.

While the cast have been well chosen, there are times when their emotions miss the mark, coming perhaps a second too late for audiences who know the story so well. Dracula is all about instilling fear, a chill up your spine that you can’t shake no matter how hard you try. Sadly some of this fear is absent from the supporting cast. However, in a city such as Liverpool, with so many grand theatre houses, it’s nice to lend support toward armature productions that can be forgotten in the midst of so much choice. Andrew Cooper’s Dracula and the Capstone Theatre deserve to find their audience.