Dracula Rises Once Again, This Time With A Creative Feminist Take on the Classic at the Historic Mounds Theatre

Kate Hamill’s Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really is an adaptation of Bram Stoker’s classic tale, but with a decidedly forward-thinking view of gender roles. It follows the geographic outline of Stoker’s plot but changes many of the details. Several key roles in the book are eliminated, relationships change, and even genders are swapped, as in the case of Doctor Van Helsing, who is now a woman. Changes like these to the original source material are almost a prerequisite. Even Francis Ford Coppola’s film version, which is among the more faithful adaptations, can’t help but tweak things a bit. Fidelity to the text should never be an issue when judging a Dracula or Frankenstein adaptation, as Hollywood and the stage long ago implanted changes that the casual observer may assume are the true plots. This production is a mixed bag that works for the most part.

What works well are the elements that deal with gender roles and questioning the patriarchy. The tale lends itself well to this sort of examination. You have the old-school Dracula, who rules over his wives as if he is their lord and master. Then you have the more modern relationships, such as Dr. Seward and his relationship with his fiancée, Lucy, and her friend Mina. He tries to be in charge but finds himself being overruled by Doctor Van Helsing, and the women in his world are more likely to state their opinions or be aware that they have to circumvent his authority.

The casting of Mavrick M. Miller as Count Dracula is very effective. He doesn’t look like our pop culture Draculas, such as Bela Lugosi or even Christopher Lee, but he matches Stoker’s description fairly accurately. He adds an effective accent and has a foreboding stage presence; he’s slightly let down by the wardrobe, particularly in one of the final scenes, where he appears to be wearing a white polo shirt over a white long-sleeved shirt. Cate Jackson is also well cast as Mina. Though the character is changed from the book a good deal, she’s a strong character, and Jackson brings that across to the audience. The direction Hamill took with the character of Van Helsing works really well, but I didn’t feel like Maggie Mae Sulentic played it as effectively as she could have. It may also be the costuming here; there is a sloppiness to the character that undercuts her effectiveness. A lot of that can be laid at the feet of costume designer Krista Weiss’s choices. I’d have gone for a cooler look, less hobo.

The costumes are good in some scenes and detrimental in others. The reality is that there are over 20 actors in the show, many need multiple costumes, and this theater company is a small one. I think they did the best they could in all design departments; it’s just that the budget shows. Some elements are really good. There are some blood effects by Robin Gilmer and Shannon Walbran that are well handled, along with some set pieces that are exactly what is needed, such as Renfield’s cell and the beds of Lucy and Mina. You can suspend your disbelief to the needed level, and then someone enters wearing a polo shirt and the illusion with the audience is broken. I don’t know what the answer to that is. Obviously, within their means, they should do the best they can in every aspect, is the immediate thought, but perhaps finding a balance is better. The inequity in these elements is what pulls us out at times, which is not what you want.

Erika Sasseville directs the show and makes a lot of really effective choices. For the 30 minutes prior to the start, Renfield, another gender-role swap, played by Jennifer D’Lynn, is on stage, at times lying down facing away from the audience and at other times making eerie eye contact with us. It’s a fun way to set the tone, and she carries that tone throughout, with Dracula’s undead posse entering through the aisles among the audience. Another nice touch is having Dracula’s horde act as furniture in the Count’s castle.

The other aspect of the show that needs work is the length. It runs nearly three hours and felt like it could easily have shaved 15 to 30 minutes off through judicious cuts (which would be Hamill’s job) and general pacing, which the director could try to pick up.

If you are someone who can’t get enough horror shows during monster month, like I am, you’ll want to check this one out. It has its flaws, but the good stuff outweighs the missed steps. Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really runs through October 31 at the Historic Mounds Theatre, where you can enjoy a variety of treats and beverages during the show, including popcorn and cocktails. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to https://www.nightfiretheatre.com/dracula.

I want to alert you faithful readers to a new Website that has just started up in the Twin Cities. It’s called 79 Seconds on Stage and it is a free and full guide to local theatre in the Twin Cities.

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