Section links

Dracula poster

There are more photos from this production below. Selecting any of the small thumbnail images will show a larger version of the picture in the main part of the page. »

Dracula by Bram Stoker (Adapted by Johnny Hanrahan & Micky O'Donoughue) - Doctor Seward

- Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury. Directed by Alan Cohen.

Another New Vic production of a classic tale, this time Dracula (or 'How's Your Blood Count'). Micky essayed the roles of both Doctor Van Helsing and the lunatic, fly-eating Renfield in this one. The comic lunacy took place on a truly eerie and imposing revolving set (designed by Claire Lyth) and the whole production was drenched in sumptuous lighting (courtesy of technical director Chic Reid) and sound effects. Dracula's first entrance to the dramatic accompaniment of Orff's 'Carmina Burana' really made the hair on the back of your neck stand up. There were lots of great special effects - swooping bats, wolves, red eyes in the mist, transformations, stakings and a full-scale Edwardian blood transfusion - and some really creepy moments to off-set and underpin the craziness of Micky's central performance(s).

Of course, as ever with the New Vic, audience participation formed a large part of the show's effectiveness, from the pre-show public meeting to the final uproarious vanquishing of the vampire hordes. This latter was accomplished by getting the audience (who had wiped their feet on garlic-impregnated doormats on the way into the theatre and had the opportunity to purchase gingerbread crucifixes at the interval) to wave their feet in the air and brandish their (hopefully uneaten) crucifixes while lustily singing 'Men of Garlic'!

This time around I played the part of Doctor Seward for which I grew a splendid set of real mutton-chops. As this was the first production of this play, a lot of the comedy business was created and developed in rehearsals by Micky, the director Alan Cohen and the rest of the cast. Sadly I only got to play the role for a short run at the Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury before the show toured the States. I couldn't get a work visa this time around so an American actor took 'my' part and all the carefully conceived business. Later, the show toured briefly in the UK again with a 'celebrity' cast including Leslie Grantham as Dracula and Vicky Michelle as Lucy. They were crap, as you might expect.

At least I did get to tour America with the same production a couple of years later - but playing Dracula rather than Seward!