‘Dracula’ an enjoyable romp

Fun with fangs . . . The cast of Dracula — The Bloody Truth, comprising (front, from left) Sarah...
Fun with fangs . . . The cast of Dracula — The Bloody Truth, comprising (front, from left) Sarah and Blaise Barham, Nathan Cook, and (at rear) Marty Newell, will bring this entertaining physical comedy piece to Dunedin’s Mayfair Theatre from tonight until Sunday. PHOTO: SUPPLIED

REVIEW: DRACULA: THE BLOODY TRUTH
Sahara Breeze Productions Mayfair Theatre — October 11 

The physical and verbal gags come thick and fast as Professor Abraham Van Helsing and three ‘‘actors’’ strive to warn the public of the ever-present danger of Count Dracula.

This touring production of the slapstick comedy Dracula: The Bloody Truth, by Le Navet Bete and John Nicholson, is directed by Chris Cook and has goofball energy to burn.

The cast is headed by Blaise Barham, playing the increasingly frustrated Van Helsing, as his hapless performers Marty Newell, Sarah Barham and Nathan Cook bounce on and off the stage in a variety of roles, ranging from Dracula himself to his victims and enemies.

High-speed dialogue and frenetic gender-bending action keeps the cast on their toes, racing through quick changes, with lashings of slapstick and farce.

They handle it well, bringing humour to the fore, although the requirements of the script for things to go wrong over and over again can be a bit confusing.

The staging is clever, with a row of doors providing high-speed access for the performers and also acting as architecture.

The actors make the most of their opportunities to parody scenes from vampire movies, adding to the fun.

All in all Dracula: The Bloody Truth is an enjoyable romp through a well-loved story, with some twisty-turny surprises along the way.

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