Blood thirsty appetites (Derby Dinner Playhouse)

Dracula Adapted by William McNulty Written by Bram Stoker

Directed by Lee Buckholz A review by Brian Kennedy

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Multiple theatre companies are or soon will perform their respective takes on Dracula. With superb acting, effective use of its space and maintaining the needed intensity, it will be hard to match Derby Dinner Playhouse’s version.

The Lee Buckholz-produced and directed Dracula features Paul McElroy as the titular character, a seemingly debonair fellow, at first, with a sinister, blood-thirsty appetite. McElroy plays all sides of the character with the necessary energy and attitude needed and made Dracula a very memorable antagonist.

Dracula has descended upon the Purely Sanatorium, located on the west coast of England in the late 1800s. Here, Dr. Thomas Seward (Kyle Braun) worked with Van Helsing (Mandi Hutchins Johnson) to try and solve a mystery illness. Braun and Johnson have great chemistry in their many scenes together. Braun, in addition, gave a beautifully somber performance as he talked about the loss of his daughter, Mina (Taylor Thomas). One could easily feel his pain. 

Johnson, meanwhile, was matter-of-fact and maintained clear control no matter the situation, both absolutely needed for her character. Van Helsing’s journey through the scenes was among the more interesting points of the play.

Another interesting thing was how the cast uniquely used the entire room for the show. Dracula takes place in a room with the stage in the middle and the audience at dinner tables on three sides. The cast used four corner entrance/exit points to enter and exit the scenes. Sometimes the scenes, like Mina’s gravesite or when the Count seduces one of his victims, take place entirely in a corner. Whenever cast members have to walk in search of something, they mostly walk through the audience. The way the room was used was creative and added a very interesting extra element to the show.

Then, there’s the sanatorium patient Robert Renfield, whom Andrew Bittenbender brilliantly played. Bittenbender’s Renfield was sometimes insane, sometimes trying to leave, and sometimes seemed like he was hiding something. At all points, he was incredibly entertaining and his sometimes comic behavior within the insanity added much needed levity for such an intense show.

Derby Dinner Playhouse’s take on Dracula is a solid effort from all involved and, considering the amount of Dracula shows going on in and around Kentuckiana this time of year, should be the one to watch.

Dracula Derby Dinner Playhouse October 3-November 10 525 Marriott Drive Clarksville, IN 47129 www.derbydinner.com