Dracula is a momentous play in the Sydney Theatre Company’s season for a few reasons. Playing at the Roslyn Packer Theatre, it is one of the flagship productions for the season and it also marks the end of Kip Williams’ tenure as Artistic Director which has included acclaimed productions such as The Picture of Dorian Gray. Dracula is the final instalment in STC’s gothic trilogy and utilises Williams’ signature ‘cine-theatre’ style, where cameras become very much a part of the theatrical experience and the production almost becomes filmic in nature. 

Subversion is at the heart of this production and is immediately apparent given that this is a one-person show. Zahra Newman plays all 23 characters in a demanding 110 minute production and does so very well. She begins the production on stage as Jonathan Harker who is sent to the home of Count Dracula. It is not too long before her pre-recorded characters start to appear on stage with her version of Count Dracula being introduced quite quickly. 

As the play heads towards its climax, more characters are introduced including Van Helsing, the eccentric professor tasked with stopping Count Dracula. Newman’s interpretation of Van Helsing is one of her best, with an energy and passion that continues to bring life to the production. 

While Newman does an incredible job of conveying so many characters on stage and differentiating between them very well some of the prerecorded characters feel a little flat. In particular, Newman’s Dracula does not feel terrifying enough and some of the other characters lack the same substance as their on-stage counterparts. Perhaps this is not a criticism of Newman’s acting but rather of the limitations of the form, but the difference between what was happening on stage and on screen did feel quite noticeable. 

While the mechanics of the show are technically exquisite, some balancing and pacing issues that limit the efficacy of the production as a whole. Ultimately, the work feels a little too skewed towards its cinematic side to the point where the action on stage seems lost. In some respects, the production would perhaps be more effective if it were entirely on screen if that were the way Williams decided to go but in this case, the interconnectedness feels missing. 

The show is also very long, running 110 minutes without an interval. While an interval would break the flow, especially in a single performer show, the material does drag and loses the attention of the audience away from the climactic points. 

With that said, there are certainly some things that the production does extraordinarily well. Like all STC productions, everything is incredibly slick and Marg Horwell’s set design in this production is absolutely flawless. In particular, the cemetery scenes are visual masterpieces and extraordinarily well designed, drawing the eye’s attention at every moment and adding to the eerie feel. 

Ultimately, this is a production that is daring and technically brilliant but to some degree, falls short in its engagement with the audience beyond the mastery of the craft. The production simply is not terrifying enough to be engaging and moments designed to evoke horror end up in audience laughter. While Newman is without doubt a superb performer, the play sometimes comes across as a showcase of the breadth of her acting (and singing) talent, without the connection to the audience needed to make this production shine. This is certainly a unique viewing experience and worth watching for the spectacle alone but, overall, there is a feeling that perhaps some of the potential of the production was left at the stage door. 

Rating: ★★★1/2

Dracula plays at the Roslyn Packer Theatre until 4^th August. For more information, click here.

All photos: Daniel Boud