If you’re fed up with the constant barrage of politicians bickering and weather which doesn’t appreciate that June is actually supposed to be sunny, the Octagon has the perfect antidote.
Dracula: The Bloody Truth is silly, unashamedly silly, gloriously silly. This production is a hoot from start to finish and will see you leave the theatre with a giant smile on your face.
Professor Van Helsing, vampire hunter extraordinaire wants to put the record straight about Dracula. He believes Bram Stoker’s novel had it all wrong and hires a trio of actors to put on a show telling the real story.
Part farce, part pantomime with shades of The Play That Goes Wrong, Dracula: The Bloody Truth is a whirlwind, slapstick adventure spoof which barrels along at a frenetic pace.
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The cast of four deserve every credit - and a sit down - as between them they play around 30 characters displaying some wonderful physical comedy moments.
The fourth wall between the cast and the audience isn’t so much broken as had a huge stake driven through it. Before the show starts be prepared to be greeted by the actors in character and if you’re on the front row, you might just become part of the show.
Chris Hannon’s Van Helsing becomes increasingly frustrated as sets collapse, actors miss their cues and general mayhem ensues. Annie Kirkman is a sassy, knowing Dracula and Killian Macardle revels in playing Lucy Westenra in ridiculous blonde wig, the ultimate bearded lady. Alyce Liburd as Mina again shows brilliant comic timing as it all falls apart.
Comic chaos is so hard to pull off but this quartet do so with ease allowing the storyline to survive.
Staged like a Victorian music hall, there’s also a great soundtrack both beforehand and during the interval with a vampire theme.
This is theatre which is hugely entertaining, slightly bonkers and great fun and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Until Saturday, June 29. Details from www.octagontheatre.co.uk
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