Cynthia Erivo delivers a breathtaking performance in a daring one-woman adaptation of Dracula at the Noël Coward Theatre, embodying 23 characters over two intense hours.
Innovative Fusion of Live Action and Video
Directed by Kip Williams, the production blends live performance with pre-recorded and real-time video projections. Cameras capture Erivo’s every move, projecting it onto a massive screen, while pre-shot sequences demand precise timing for seamless integration. This approach creates a dynamic interplay, mirroring the novel’s epistolary format where journal writers appear live and recipients emerge on screen.
The visual design ensures strong sightlines from every seat. Dreamlike scenes, such as interactions between Dracula and Lucy, layer live and recorded elements for disorienting impact. A standout moment features Erivo singing as Dracula at the stage’s edge, free from tech effects, captivating audiences with raw power.
Erivo’s Commanding Versatility
Erivo seamlessly shifts between roles like Van Helsing, Mina, Jonathan Harker, Lucy, Renfield, Seward, and Dracula. Her physicality, enhanced by signature long nails, brings haunting depth to each character. Transformations stun, with Jonathan’s anxiety yielding to Mina’s poise, momentarily blurring the single-performer boundary.
Flashes of humor and menace shine through, even amid technical demands. Up to five versions of Erivo appear simultaneously, amplifying the production’s vampiric themes of fragmented identity and inner conflict.
Challenges Amid Technical Precision
The ambitious format teeters between brilliance and risk. Rapid costume changes, intricate blocking, and cue-perfect delivery occasionally falter with minor slips—a stumbled line or extended pause. Some disguises, like Van Helsing’s white hair and beard, elicit unintended laughs, highlighting the high-wire act.
Male characters such as Seward and Harker sometimes lack sharp distinction, feeling rushed under the strain. Yet, these moments underscore the endurance required, as Erivo recites much of the novel while maintaining split-second synchronization.
Thematic Depth and Lasting Impact
The solo format reframes Bram Stoker’s tale of repression, contagion, and desire as an internal psyche battle. Shared faces for Mina and Dracula intensify their psychic link, while Erivo’s fluid embodiment highlights homoerotic undertones with modern resonance.
Audience reactions culminate in thunderous standing ovations, blending admiration with awe at the physical toll. The story resolves effectively, imagery endures, and the spectacle justifies the ticket price for those seeking theatrical audacity alongside narrative immersion.
