Dracapella

If Dracula rose from the grave and discovered close-harmony comedy, then this would be the show that he would sink his incisors into. Dracapella at the Park Theatre is a gloriously daft, blood-pumping romp that drains the gothic legend dry and fills it with a never-ending stream of puns, precision harmonies and a sense of mischief so strong it ought to come with a garlic warning.

The premise is deliciously simple: a manic joke-a-minute retelling of Dracula, delivered entirely a capella, with every drop of atmosphere conjured from the cast’s OTT accents and some truly outstanding beat box accompaniment by Alexander Belgarion Hackett. This proves to be the show’s secret weapon, acting as percussion, mood setting and punchlines with pin-point timing.

The harmonisation throughout is fang-tastic. Tight, playful, and expertly balanced, the vocal work is the true jewel of the evening. Whether summoning melodrama or outright silliness, the ensemble of eight’s blending never slips, even as the score gleefully vaults through styles with bat-like agility. It’s technically impressive while remaining light-footed and fun.

The cast across the board squeeze every last drop of comedy from the material. Each performer makes a distinct impression with many switching roles, moods, and musical textures with absolute relish. You can feel how much fun they are having, and that fun as always is infectious.

Naturally the show is positively overflowing with Dracula puns and I’m sure that co-writers Jez Bond and Dan Patterson will have probably discarded as many as they have kept to keep the momentum and the attention flowing. Under the direction of Jez Bond, this production fully embraces the ridiculousness of its premise and ‘stakes’ its reputation on enjoying it.

By the end you’ll be grinning like a vampire who’s just discovered musical comedy. Dracapella may not reinvent the horror story, but it polishes it to a mirror shine for all to see and has an un-bloody-believably good time doing so.

A-postive good evening out: cleverly sung, tightly performed and proof that even after all these years, Dracula still has plenty of bite.

Photo credit: Craig Sugden

Four stars