Caity Brown plays Mina and Jeremy Gershman portrays Dracula in Swift Creek Mill's production. (Photo by Robyn O'Neill)
THE PLAY: This is the traditional tale of the famous vampire, complete with the anemic heroine, a determined Doctor Van Helsing and the fly-eating Renfield.
THE PRODUCTION: The publicity states that this show is a comic retelling of the classic, and it does feature a few amusing moments (thanks primarily to Kerrigan Sullivan's saucy performance as Sybil). Sadly, these bright spots are overshadowed by an extremely talky script that limits the potential for dramatic momentum.
Once the character of Van Helsing appears (played with assurance by Jon Cobb) the endless, needless explanations of vampire lore start to drag things down. The dialogue continues to get in the way until the ham-fisted finale, which proved unintentionally funny. Luckily, Bartley Mullin's delightfully creepy Renfield boosts the energy every time he appears.
The scary moments (featuring a flying bat and other surprises) usually work, but there's a lot of dependence on a noisy smoke machine, which diminishes the effect. Director Mark Costello returns to the area after a 32-year stint at Theatre Albany in Georgia. He's assembled a good group of actors and kept them constantly moving around the stage to boost the show's energy.
Frank Foster has designed a rich wooden parlor with interesting details. Maura Lynch Cravey does OK with the men's suits and Mina's gowns, but her ill-fitting dresses for Sullivan aren't flattering. The lights by Joe Doran work well, but the strobe could be seen from my seat, which was distracting.
Running time: 2:45
THE POINT: The cast and direction had the potential for a compelling production, but the wordy script renders their efforts largely lifeless.
Swift Creek Mill Theatre's production of "Count Dracula" runs through Oct. 20.
Read more reviews by Jerry Williams on SIFTER (TVJerry.com).
