Next to Mel Brooks’ film Dracula: Dead and Loving It, my favourite adaptation of Dracula is by Brisbane’s own Shake & Stir Theatre Co, which is bringing it back to QPAC in October.
And guess what? Dracula still wants to suck your blood! And steal your soul. In the realms of horror, Dracula is far scarier than most plays, for that reason alone.
It’s a bit self-indulgent quoting myself, but I will share with you a bit from my 2017 Courier-Mail review of its return season:
“This is scary stuff! Under the expert direction of Michael Futcher, the original story comes to life in a powerful fashion. There has been much embellishment since Bram Stoker’s novel was first published in 1897. There have been many Draculas along the way but this stage adaptation (the text was adapted by two of the cast — Nick Skubij and Nelle Lee — gives us the original and best, the Transylvanian Count who wants to spread his evil undeadness to the wider world. Dracula is a soul destroyer and that’s the really terrifying thing about vampirism. It promises immortality but the cost is high, the immortal soul.”
As scary as I find Dracula, I love seeing movies and theatrical adaptations. I recall as a teenager we all went to the Surfers Paradise cinema to watch Count Yorga, Vampire, and I was scared out of my wits. Dracula does that to me every time.
As part of its 20th anniversary celebrations, Shake & Stir Theatre Co is, ahem, resurrecting its smash-hit adaptation of Dracula for a strictly limited season at QPAC’s Playhouse, from October 27.
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A critical sensation on its 2015 premiere, Dracula sold out two seasons at QPAC before embarking on a major 40-plus venue tour that visited every state and territory – cementing its place as one of Australia’s most loved theatrical thrillers. Over the past decade Dracula has become something of a cult phenomenon, with audiences continuing to ask one question: When is Dracula rising from the dead? Thankfully the answer is … soon.
Combining Gothic horror, breath-taking stagecraft and Shake & Stir’s trademark theatrical ingenuity, this electrifying production returns for a new generation of audiences – and for the thousands (me included) who have been waiting to experience it again.
The play is based on Bram Stoker’s immortal novel, and this is part of the strength of this production, its literary credibility. Shake & Stir adapts classics so well.
The story follows young solicitor Jonathan Harker, who travels deep into the Carpathian Mountains to meet the enigmatic Count Dracula. But what begins as a routine business transaction soon descends into terror as Harker uncovers a creature driven by an insatiable thirst for blood. Escaping the Count’s castle, Harker unwittingly unleashes Dracula upon Victorian London, setting in motion a deadly battle between desire, obsession and humanity’s oldest fears.
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Directed by acclaimed theatre-maker Michael Futcher and adapted by Shake & Stir artistic directors Nelle Lee and Nick Skubij, with fellow artistic director Ross Balbuziente serving as creative producer, the production remains one of the company’s defining works.
Balbuziente says the decision to revive Dracula was an easy one.
“As we celebrate 20 years of Shake & Stir, we kept coming back to one production,” he says. “Dracula has taken on a life of its own. It sold out seasons, toured the country, won awards and, even 10 years later, audiences still ask us when it’s coming back.
“This isn’t simply a revival. It’s an opportunity to introduce one of our most iconic productions to an entirely new audience, while giving long-time fans the chance to experience it again. Great stories endure, and Dracula has never felt more relevant.”
Co-adaptor Nick Skubij says the world’s fascination with vampires has only grown stronger.
“Vampires have endured for more than a century because they constantly evolve,” Skubij says. “Every generation rediscovers Dracula, finding something new in the story, whether it’s horror, romance, power, temptation or the fear of the unknown.
“Our production embraces everything audiences love about Gothic horror while delivering the kind of visceral theatrical experience that simply can’t be replicated on a screen. It’s thrilling, cinematic, funny, terrifying and completely immersive.”
I might add that Skubij is utterly brilliant as the star, the king of the undead. He scared the hell out of me and I’m confident that he will do it again this time around. Some great actors have played Dracula, from Bela Lugosi to Christopher Lee – and Skubij is right up there with them.
Regarded as one of Shake & Stir’s signature productions, Dracula combines stunning visual design, inventive stagecraft, pulse-raising suspense and unforgettable performances to deliver a theatrical event that is as exhilarating today as it was when it first took audiences by storm.
And speaking of storms, I recall almost falling off my seat on both occasions when I saw it back in the day, when a great thunderclap rang out across the darkened auditorium at the beginning of the play. Now I’m ready to be scared again. How about you?
Dracula plays QPAC’s Playhouse, October 27 to November 8.
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