By Willie Caldwell
Halloween season is upon us which can only mean one thing, a bevy of horrific entertainment options abound with blood, guts, and gore galore! Human Race Theater Company’s production of Dracula, a Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really, takes a bite into a beloved Halloween classic with a modern, feminine twist that leaves audiences squirming with delight. Grab your torches and pitch forks, it’s time to burn down the patriarchy!
The Plot
Dracula is a gothic horror novel written in 1897 by Irish author Bram Stoker. The character has become a cultural icon that has been adapted to stage and screen COUNTless times. From silent films to a character on Sesame Street, Dracula captures the spirit of Halloween and has inspired terror for over a century.
For those that do not know the plot (and you’d have to be dead to not know the plot), A real estate agent named Jonathan Harker takes a work trip to Transylvania and ends up at the Airbnb from hell. His host, Count Dracula, has no reflection, a taste for necks, and an alarming bedtime routine. After crashing in London, the Count mingles awkwardly at dinner parties by drinking the guests instead of the wine. This prompts Professor Van Helsing and friends to form the original vampire-slaying squad. Armed with stakes, garlic, and questionable Victorian logic, they chase Dracula back to his home turf, where sunlight and teamwork finally ruin his dark vacation plans.
In this modernized retelling written by Kate Hamill, the female roles take center stage. The character of Dracula himself becomes an allegory for toxic masculinity that drains the life force from women both literally and figuratively. While the interpretation is a bit on the nose, the production balances tongue in cheek humor, horror, and satire, creating an atmospheric delight and a new interpretation that audiences can sink their teeth into.
The Actors
The real power in this production is wielded by the women. Darlene Spencer’s Dr. Van Helsing takes aim at the patriarchy, dispatching vamps and outdated gender roles with equal gusto. Caitlin Larsen Deer’s Renfield turns the role of Dracula’s sidekick into a strangely empowered examination of servitude. Angelique Archer’s Mina Harker is a lesson in women’s empowerment. Jordan Trovillion’s Lucy Westenra embraces seductive femininity as her weapon of choice. Stye Hodgkin and Evelyn Vordtriede round out the female ensemble playing the sultry brides of Dracula and other roles as needed. The female cast is a masterclass in flipping the traditional script and spiking it with over-the-top sass.
The men on the other hand, are heroically inept at almost every turn. Gregory Mallios’ Dracula is a disco king gone rogue that balances genuine moments of menace with cheeky humor. Andrew Ian Adams as Jonathan Harker and Rico Romalus Parker as Dr. Seward dutifully bumble along as the well-meaning but habitually confused men. These characters are always two steps behind and occasionally asking for directions from the garlic cloves.
The actors know what they are doing. They commit to the horror, humor, and absurdity, even when Kate Hamill’s scripted dialogue becomes a bit too heavy handed. The joy is watching the cast have fun while creating genuine moments of horror and gore. And examining what it means to be a monster-slaying woman trapped in a man’s world.
The Production
Directed by HRTC’s Artistic Director, Emily Wells, this production proves the company can turn the Loft Theatre into a moody playground with flair and a dash of theatrical mischief. Charlie Calvert’s scenic design doesn’t just set the stage, it crafts a full-blown haunted house. Jessica Ann Drayton’s lighting magic brings it to life with shadowy corners that would make even Dracula check his flashlight. The sound design by Audio Forest amps up the creep factor. There’s an immersive blend of chilling noises that swirl around the lush visuals of haunted forests, crumbling castles, crypts, and the occasional padded cell.
The use of red fabric to create blood and gore adds to the visual experience (and gross factor) in squeamishly compelling ways, that may cause audible gasps from the audience. Costumes by Ayn Swann and props by Sarah Gomes keep everyone delightfully invested, even if the dialogue tips its hat a little too enthusiastically to melodrama.
The creative production elements of the show make Dracula, a Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really a spooky season treat well worth seeing!
The Company
The Human Race Theater Company continues to delight audiences with thought provoking work, talented actors, and top tier production work. Celebrating its 40th anniversary season, the company knows how to do theater right! The company offers:
- Inside Track pre-show conversation with the creative team on October 30th
- a post-show thematic talkback on Sunday, November 2nd
- a Parent’s Day Out performance that includes complementary theatre workshops for kids ages 5-12 while the parents attend the show on November 9
Ticket Information for Dracula, a Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really
Dracula A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really runs from Wednesday, October 29th through Sunday, November 9th. Purchase tickets online at humanracetheatre.org or by calling the box office at (937) 228-3630.
NOTE: This performance is PG-13 and includes flashing lights, fog, haze, depictions of abuse, violence and suicide. Parental discretion is advised.
