Cynthia Erivo’s performance in a one-woman adaptation of Dracula isn’t simply a play; it’s an act of theatrical defiance. Imagine witnessing a single figure wrestle with a monumental task, straining against limits while simultaneously captivating an audience.
The core question with solo performances has always been this: does the spectacle of the effort overshadow the story itself? Do we watch the performer, bracing for a stumble, or do we surrender to the narrative unfolding before us? This production, staged at the Noël Coward Theatre, walks a daring tightrope.
Erivo doesn’t just play Dracula; she embodies 23 distinct characters – Van Helsing, Mina, Jonathan Harker, Lucy, and more – barely pausing for breath throughout the two-hour performance. Director Kip Williams masterfully blends live action with pre-recorded video, pushing this technique to its absolute extreme.
The stage becomes a dynamic canvas where Erivo interacts with filmed versions of herself, hitting cues with astonishing precision. Some characters exist solely in the filmed realm, a subtle echo of the novel’s themes of illusion and the unseen, mirroring the vampire’s lack of a reflection.
Visually, the production is stunning. The interplay between live presence and projected images creates a unique hierarchy, anchoring the audience to a single consciousness at a time. It’s as if we’re witnessing thoughts materialize, flickering into being on the vast screen behind Erivo.
The innovative staging also ensures an immersive experience for every audience member. Dreamlike sequences, layering live and recorded movement, create a disorienting beauty. A moment where Erivo, as Dracula, sings stripped of the technological artifice is particularly haunting, a quiet revelation amidst the complexity.
Erivo’s talent, of course, is the bedrock of the entire endeavor. She is magnetic, meticulously crafting each character with nuance and emotional depth, even while navigating the immense technical demands. Her transformations are often startling, blurring the lines between identities with breathtaking clarity.
However, the sheer scale of the undertaking inevitably presents challenges. Some moments, despite Erivo’s skill, feel rushed or lack the resonance they deserve. Certain male characters remain somewhat underdeveloped, and initial reactions to Van Helsing’s appearance drew unexpected laughter.
The production exists on a precarious edge, constantly threatening to veer into unintended comedy. The technical precision required is immense, and occasional slips – a stumbled word, a delayed beat – serve as a reminder of the extraordinary effort involved. Yet, even these imperfections feel remarkable given the complexity of the performance.
But the one-person conceit does more than showcase stamina; it fundamentally reframes the story. Dracula is a tale of repression, fractured identities, and forbidden desires. Seeing a single performer embody both predator and prey, purity and corruption, shifts the drama inward, making the conflict feel intensely personal.
Mina and Dracula sharing a face transforms their connection from a battle of wills into a struggle within a single psyche. The constant doubling – live body versus filmed apparition – reinforces this sense of fragmentation, as if witnessing a mind at war with itself. Erivo’s own fluidity in gender expression adds a modern resonance to the novel’s subtle homoerotic undertones.
By the final moments, a sense of awe mingled with a vicarious exhaustion. The standing ovation was thunderous, but the applause also carried a recognition of the immense physical and emotional toll. Conversations afterward centered not on the tragedy of Lucy or the ordeal of Mina, but on the sheer impossibility of sustaining such a performance.
Ultimately, the car is moved from the ditch. The narrative lands, the imagery lingers, and the audience leaves impressed. But one wonders what this adaptation might become with a full cast, freed from the tension of its own audacity, allowing Erivo’s extraordinary talent to truly soar.
If you approach this performance prepared to marvel at the feat as much as to lose yourself in the tale, you’ll discover that the sheer audacity of Erivo’s undertaking is a reward in itself.
