Cynthia Erivo's Dracula: A Bloody Brilliant or Toothless One-Woman Show?
Cynthia Erivo, the Tony award-winning star of The Color Purple and Wicked, takes on a monumental challenge in a new London production of Bram Stoker's classic novel Dracula. At the Noël Coward Theatre, Erivo portrays all 23 characters in a hi-tech staging directed by Kip Williams, sparking a mix of praise and criticism from theatre reviewers.
A Multi-Faceted Performance in a Hi-Tech Setting
In this ambitious adaptation, Erivo transforms into the iconic blood-sucking count, as well as every other character, from Jonathan Harker to Van Helsing. The production utilises advanced technology, including camera operators and large overhead screens, to create a hallucinatory experience. Critics note that the stage is sometimes crowded with crew, making it difficult to see Erivo live, with many audience members relying on the screen for action.
Erivo's performance involves rapid character changes, donning wigs, skirts, and spectacles to differentiate roles. Her vocal recalibrations range from the placid Mina to the guttural Van Helsing. Some reviewers, like Clive Davis of The Times, praise the seamless integration of live and recorded elements, while others, such as Sam Marlowe of The Stage, find the voices not always properly differentiated, leading to a ramshackle effect.
Critical Verdicts: From Praise to Frustration
The reviews are sharply divided. Arifa Akbar of The Guardian describes the tale as "deliciously wicked," highlighting Williams' Midas touch in reinventing old stories. Nick Curtis from The Standard appreciates the camp vein and Erivo's ability to own her queerness on stage, with lascivious and confident portrayals.
However, not all feedback is positive. Sam Marlowe criticises Erivo for seeming ill at ease, with a hesitancy in her performance that feels wrong-footed by the technology. Andrzej Lukowski of Time Out notes that despite Erivo's charisma and effort, she is merely a cog in Williams' elaborate machine, which may be faulty in vision.
Technical and Artistic Elements
The production boasts impressive effects, including video designs by Craig Wilkinson that show vampires flying and crawling. Marg Horwell's scenic design, Nick Schlieper's lighting, and Jessica Dunn's sound design receive praise for their dramatic impact. Yet, some critics, like Sarah Crompton of WhatsOnStage, point out that Clemence Williams' score becomes over-emphatic.
Erivo's musical theatre background shines in moments, such as a melancholy torch song delivered with wistful nonchalance. The soundtrack blends Tchaikovsky, Chopin, Björk, and electro-trance music, adding to the audio-visual hallucination. Dominic Cavendish of The Telegraph connects the multi-faceted approach to Stoker's original epistolary form, emphasising themes of fear and desire.
Overall Impact and Audience Experience
This staging of Dracula pushes boundaries with its artistic toolkit, but it leaves critics and audiences split. For some, like Alice Saville of The Independent, Erivo's final scenes, where she embodies Dracula's power on a bare stage, are haunting and vulpine. For others, the show feels sluggish and short on drama.
As the reviews roundup shows, Cynthia Erivo's one-woman Dracula is a bold experiment that challenges traditional theatre norms. Whether it's bloody brilliant or toothless depends on one's appetite for innovation and technology in live performance.
