Review: Dracula (Idle Muse Theatre)

“Twilight”, eat your heart out!

Idle Muse Theatre presents

Dracula

Adapted by Steven Dietz Directed by Lenny Wahlberg at side project theatre, 1439 W. Jarvis (map) through March 6  |  tickets: $15-$20  |  more info

Review by Paige Listerud

Idle Muse Theatre has captured the quintessential gothic vibe. Their production, Dracula, now at Side Project Theatre under the direction of Lenny Wahlberg, is traditional, to say the least. It slays because it is dutifully faithful to Bram Stoker’s vision and language, resonating with deep Victorian observations on human passion and the human condition. “Great men, like galaxies, end in dust,” quotes the supreme vamp himself, as he plays host to his unsuspecting guest, Jonathan Harker (Chris Waldron). Abraham Van Helsing (Brad Woodard) is the equal to the Count (Edward Karch) in weighty sentiments, especially when he warns John Seward (Brian Bengtson) not to reveal their secrets to “God’s madmen”—that is, just about everybody.

Gothic fetish aside, the real joy lies in witnessing Wahlberg’s young cast wield Stoker’s lush, dark language like mature, seasoned pros, adding those necessary flashes of humor at their critical moments. Of course, it helps to have Renfield (Nathan Thompson), the lunatic in Dr. Seward’s asylum, as your guide. Thompson maintains total and fierce control over Renfield’s twists, zipping from raving lunacy to childlike pleas–“May I have a kitten?”—never mind that Renfield, in possession of a kitten, is not an innocent thing.

But Renfield’s master also strikes a silent, controlling and imposing presence. As Dracula, Karch conveys the original deadliness of the vampire of vampires with icy elegance. The Count has aristocratic pedigree and a living recollection of history but he is much closer to Nosferatu in raging animalism. Here is fresh relief from the mooning, insipid vampires of “Twilight” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”. The original Dracula makes them all look like pussies. Here is sex as danger, real danger, danger for the both physical body and the immortal soul.

Idle Muse’s production starts off very strong. The sensual and witty Victorian friendship between Mina Murray (Alex Fisher) and Lucy Westenra (Stacey Sublette) is established immediately, along with Mina’s powers as an uncommonly independent woman and Lucy’s driving romantic passions. In fact, it’s rather sad that one of them has to get staked—Fisher and Sublette really make a great team. Meanwhile, Chris Waldron’s portrayal of Jonathan Harker is dead-on as the fresh-faced Englishman who has no clue what awaits him in Transylvania. Bengtson’s Seward may be a little on the stiff side, but in some ways that’s apt for a character that is all ideals and naïve faith in science and rationality. Woodard, for his part, gives us a younger, more vigorous Van Helsing than we’re accustomed to from film—but that too, is a very good thing. With only a little more knowledge of vampire lore on his side, his hunt for Dracula proceeds almost on equal footing with Seward and Harker.

Where the play begins to wobble a bit is in the second act. Fisher is wonderful as the bitten Lucy but getting to the final showdown proves too much for Steven Dietz’s adaptation. Stoker’s novel has Dracula’s demise take place on a racing wagon with Lucy’s three suitors delivering the strategic deathblows. Nothing like that can take place at the Side Project’s storefront space. But the company might want to look into other special effects to stage the death of the Count. Spectacular evil deserves a spectacular end. That is the way we mere mortals honor it.

Rating: ★★★

 

Artists

 

Cast

Alex Fisher as Mina Murray
 Chris Waldron as Jonathan Harker
Stacey Sublette as Lucy Westenra
 Brian Bengtson as John Seward
Nathan Thompson as Renfield
Brad Woodard as Van Helsing
Eddy Karch as Dracula

Ensemble: Mara Kovacevic, Liz MacDougald and Matthew Gibson

Creative: Lenny Wahlberg (Director), Evan Jackson (Assistant Director), Greg Poljacik (Fight Choreographer)