Plymouth Theatre Review

overall rating: 3

Performed in The House Stage at Plymouth University, this student-devised piece based on Dracula, offered a bold, experimental reimagining of the classic Gothic tale.

While grounded in the familiar mythology of Bram Stoker’s vampire narrative, the production introduced new elements and settings—ranging from a music hall and laboratory to the essential vampire’s castle—creating a fresh composite of the story’s key motifs. I have to confess that l have never read Bram Stoker’s Dracula but feel that l know the story through the countless screen versions l’ve seen over the years. This story that Dracula legend with a few variations. This time there seemed to be, after the discovery of the first murder victim, a music hall  with some excellent examples of miming, a laboratory, the essential castle and plenty of potential vampire victims. l did wonder why we had to wait until five minutes before opening before we are allowed into the auditorium and in this case it was probably because the production began in a still, atmospheric tableau, with a lone figure standing, like a waxwork, over a shrouded body beneath a sheet! This silent, museum-like opening transitioned into action as the cast animated the narrative space and sure enough when the performance begins, the waxwork like figure springs to life.

The minimalist black box setting was marked by clearly defined playing areas, including a dining table upstage right and a smaller station downstage right, with lighting and blocking helping to differentiate scenes. Costume design effectively conveyed a Victorian aesthetic, particularly through the characters of the two policemen and the music hall performer. These visual cues, along with the use of mime and stylised movement, helped establish period and tone with limited set.

Performance-wise, the cast demonstrated commitment and a clear sense of ensemble. However, there were technical and delivery challenges that impacted the clarity of the storytelling. I have to say that l had problems throughout this performance with seeing and hearing clearly. Some of the scenes (of course, in keeping with the Dracula myth) were simply too dark, and there were a few technical issues with cueing. l found it very difficult to hear what was being spoken at times, and my suspicion is that the production volume control needed turning up quite a bit. Again there were inconsistencies here and while l struggled to hear some of the lines, others were spoken at a pitch that communicated well to the audience. It’s always a sore point to me when the recorded music is much louder than the actors so some tweaking of volume levels is required here. This inconsistency, combined with low lighting in several scenes and occasional cueing issues, made it difficult to follow parts of the action.

Despite these technical concerns, the piece reflected significant ambition and creativity. The production was billed as a work in progress, and rightly so—this felt like a formative staging that explored both style and content through collaboration. l feel l must congratulate the group in having the wherewithal to get such a piece together from its very first stages through to performance. I can imagine that it was a very steep learning curve. The use of physicality, stylised performance, and devised methods suggested a willingness to take risks and experiment with form which should be commended, especially for a work in progress. l would tend to think that theatre itself is always a work in progress – do we ever reach a stage where we are completely happy with our end-product? I somehow think not and if this company can now take this piece further forward l am sure that they will learn some valuable theatrical lessons. And, let’s face it, that is what it’s all about, is it not?

While the piece would benefit from further refinement—particularly in pacing, vocal projection, and sound balance—it stands as a valuable learning experience for the company. With continued development, this production has the potential to evolve into a more cohesive and impactful interpretation of the Dracula legend.