Pepi's Symposium: Dracula

Dracula

Shake & Stir Theater Company

27th August 2015

Last night 'Dracula', a faithful staging of Bram Stoker's story created by shake & stir theatre co was so much fun. If you have time you should grab a ticket to this sensational production. Firstly the set is phenomenal with a constantly spinning staircase evoking mountains, castles, dungeons, trains, asylum cells english great houses etc in rapid fire precision with the most evocative lighting from local genius Jason Glenwright. Snap reveals, shocks, creepy appearances, light streaming through the mist from gothic windows etc. it must have been a hoot to create. This was backed up by the powerful, dramatic sound and composition of Guy Webster which was also full on and also so stunningly coordinated with the affects of light and stage magic like exploding paper. This is pure Victorian Melodrama played with familiarity. Forget the modern TV vampire this is a creepy, shock filled blood sucker played to perfection both physically and vocally by Nicholas Skubij who looked every bit the horrific Nosferatu and the cool leather clad seducer. It involved the audience in laughter, squeals and so often I head mutterings of 'Don't go there!' 'Watch Out!' from people around me of all ages. This is true engagement. Of course the cast are unconditionally gorgeous and this is accentuated by the beautiful, elegant and stylish costumes created by that wonder boy magician with cloth Leigh Alexander Buchanan. God he makes people look good. The boys Tim Dashwood and Ross Balbuziente so reminded me of the naive pair from Wild's Importance of Being Ernest, transplanted into a drama. Innocents with hardly a clue. They are not heros as they blunder along being overwhelmed by the nasty forces of foreign evils. They do manage some carnage, but only under the manipulation of that self absorbed nutter Van Helsing. Shake and Stir who spend so much time bringing that spark of theatre to schools throughout the year certainly know how to be theatrical and create such visual treats on the main stage.