Cynthia Erivo Dazzles in High-Tech “Dracula” Spectacle
London’s Noel Coward Theatre is currently playing host to a truly ambitious and visually arresting production of Bram Stoker’s iconic vampire tale, “Dracula.” At the heart of this ultra-high-tech staging is the formidable Cynthia Erivo, a performer whose presence is, to put it mildly, wickedly captivating.
Erivo, a star whose ascent to global recognition was cemented by her unforgettable role in the “Wicked” films alongside pop sensation Ariana Grande, delivers a tour de force performance that is, in every sense of the word, wicked. This isn’t merely a play on words; Erivo embodies a performance that is good, exciting, and undeniably, eerily creepy.
Spanning a considerable two hours and five minutes, with no interval to offer respite, Erivo undertakes the monumental task of portraying a staggering 23 characters from Stoker’s classic 19th-century Gothic horror novel. This ambitious undertaking is the brainchild of Australian ‘cine-theatre’ creator Kip Williams, who previously helmed a similarly innovative production of Oscar Wilde’s “The Picture Of Dorian Gray” in 2024, starring Sarah Snook.
The stage begins as a stark, bare canvas. Erivo makes her grand entrance, her image immediately amplified and projected onto a colossal screen above. She contorts and writhes, a spectral Dracula pinned to the wall like a captured, quivering moth.
The narrative then sweeps us away to Transylvania, following the journey of the innocent solicitor Jonathan Harker as he travels to finalise a property deal with the enigmatic Count Dracula in his formidable castle. As Harker’s story unfolds, pre-recorded footage of Erivo in various period costumes seamlessly blends with live action, further enhanced by the strategic deployment of additional moving screens. We witness Dracula’s seductive vampire consorts descending upon Harker, and the Count himself is depicted shimmying up the castle battlements. In a striking visual, he appears before a mirror, sporting a vibrant pink wig and sensational acrylic nails, only for his reflection to be conspicuously absent.
Up to this point, the audience is fully immersed in Erivo’s compelling portrayal of Harker’s terrifying descent into the supernatural, conveyed through his increasingly anxious letters to his fiancée, Mina. However, for some, the production’s intricate tapestry begins to fray as the focus shifts to Whitby, introducing Mina’s close friend and her three suitors. The introduction of an asylum, complete with a straitjacketed Irishman who subsists on spiders for their “energy,” highlights the challenges of translating the sheer density of Stoker’s plot within Williams’s complex staging.
Despite these narrative hurdles, Erivo’s performance remains nothing short of astonishing. She navigates a challenging array of accents, initially grappling with Irish and Yorkshire inflections before ultimately abandoning them for the Dutch vampire slayer, Van Helsing. This character emerges with a striking resemblance to Christopher Lee’s Saruman from “The Lord Of The Rings.”
When Erivo adopts a Nigerian accent for the titular Count Dracula, she finds more secure footing, infusing the Transylvanian legend with a subtle touch of voodoo. Throughout her performance, Erivo unleashes her vocal prowess, a valiant effort to sustain energy levels and, perhaps, to keep the considerable running time from feeling even longer.
However, the sheer volume of plot points to be covered becomes apparent. The narrative still needs to encompass stake slayings in Hampstead graveyards and the dramatic arrival of sea-borne coffins. For devoted fans of the source material, these elements might be easily absorbed. For some, two hours might even feel insufficient when in the company of Erivo, who is adorned with an array of runic tattoos and ear piercings, creating an almost pin-cushion-like effect. There is no doubt that she commands a magnetic forcefield on stage.
Her vocal and dramatic range is equally remarkable, shifting effortlessly between placid, pert, prowling, and predatory personas. A Tony Award-winning star of musical theatre, having garnered acclaim for her role in “The Colour Purple,” Erivo delivers a melancholic torch song by Clemence Williams with a wistful, almost nonchalant grace.
The athletic demands of her performance are amplified by a cinematic soundtrack that draws from a diverse palette, including Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker,” Chopin, Bjork, and even elements of electro-trance music. This is, without question, a mind-bogglingly intricate production that pushes the boundaries of audio-visual hallucination, aiming to create an experience that goes far beyond the ordinary. Yet, what seems to be somewhat lacking is old-fashioned suspense. In a broad sense, the audience is generally aware of the narrative’s trajectory.
Despite any reservations, one cannot help but tip their metaphorical pointy hat to Erivo. Perhaps it stems from a sense of professional kinship. After all, theatre critics, much like the Count Dracula character, can be seen as nocturnal beings, emerging from the shadows to offer their pronouncements.
