By Brian Scott Lipton . . .
Walk into any Target or CVS and you’ll see shelf upon shelf stacked with Halloween decorations. But big-box stores aren’t the only ones getting a head start on the spooky season, as evidenced by such Off-Broadway offerings as The Creeps or Terrrorvision. In the case of Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors, now at New World Stages, there’s very little chance you’ll die of fright. However, you may die laughing during its 90-minute run.
Of course, you won’t want to expire until the show is over so you can savor every moment of the deliciously irreverent script by Steve Rosen and Gordon Greenberg (who also directed the production). It oh-so-cleverly mixes elements of Bram Stoker’s classic vampire novel with anachronistic, up-to-the-minute updates for maximum hilarity. (Remember to give your carriage driver five stars!)
Be warned, though, there’s not much fidelity to Stoker in this adaptation. For example, here, the lovely and exceedingly bright Lucy Westenra is now the one engaged to the solicitor Jonathan Harker instead of her best friend Mina—who is now Lucy’s older, uglier sister. Doctor Van Helsing is a woman (Jean Van Helsing as in Jean Valjean, she cracks), and it’s Mr. Westenra (Lucy and Mina’s father) who gets involved in the action (and involved with Jean).
Plus, almost all of the action takes place in England, not Transylvania. The change of locale really doesn’t matter since, as written, everything makes sense—more or less. (The reasonably simple set is by Tijana Bjelajac, the superb costumes are by Tristan Raines and the excellent lighting design is by Rob Denton.)
Indeed, what matters most here is the sublime work of a five-person ensemble who, pun intended, sink their teeth into this production with the right amount of seriousness and silliness. The ultra-buff James Daly is the only actor with only one job to do, and he does it quite well: offering up a preening, pouty Dracula who believes that his looks can get him whatever he wants—and when, surprisingly, they don’t—takes a bite of whatever (or whomever) he gets his hands on.
The four other players are tasked with multiple roles, although each has at least one primary part. Andrew Keenan-Bolger is pitch-perfect as the sweet, cowardly—and yes, sexually curious—Harker. Once bitten, however, Harker is anything but quite shy, and Keenan-Bolger makes the most of his sudden transformation.
Ellen Harvey is tip-top as the chauvinistic Mr. Westenra, who ultimately sees the error of his ways after spending some quality time with Jean. Finally, the lovely Jordan Boatman has the “straightest” part as the bright-eyed, clear-headed Lucy, and she executes the role expertly.
Still, first among equals (as usual) is the great Arnie Burton, who is utterly hilarious as the sexually dissatisfied and desperate Mina, stealing every laugh possible by any means necessary. He also brings expert comic timing to the Germanic, no-nonsense Van Helsing. (Well, of course, there’s some nonsense!) Burton may be in drag, but he’s never a drag. Neither is the show!
Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors. Through January 7, 2024, at New World Stages (240 West 50th Street, between Seventh and Eighth Avenues). 90 minutes, no intermission. www.draculacomedy.com
Photos: Matthew Murphy
Cover photo caption: Arnie Burton and James Daly
