(5 / 5)

You already know the pull for me on this production: did someone say lifesize puppets? I was somewhat anxious about this; I am a self-confessed wimp when it comes to horror and therefore, something that could feel so real was a real jump for me to attend. But I am so glad I did. 

In the very dark theatre, I witnessed a retelling of Bram Stoker’s Dracula like no other. The main character we focus on is Lucy, where we are taken through a changing between her nightmares and real life. Dracula haunts both and she falls victim to this but takes back charge to become our heroine. Or does she? 

The whole production is one crazy feverdream. With a darkened space, limbs, both real and of puppets seemingly come from the air, creating imagery that seems almost impossible to be achieved. There are times when there’s a combination of both; Lucy as a lifesize puppet is rallied around by human characters, but in her dream world, she is human and haunted by a disembodied Dracula puppet. These swaps, which incidentally when they happen are so seamless, that we actually have no idea what is real and what isn’t anymore. Dracula’s head flies out of the dark and the exquisite making of this is so lifelike that it’s only that our logical minds remind us that this isn’t possible to have a floating head twirling around that we know this isn’t real. 

There’s a bit of gore, as you would expect, but it’s so expertly done. Somehow this changes between gruesome to somewhat beautiful, with dance-like movements of fabric representing blood being pulled from bodies and embodying the air seemingly but itself and floating. It would be easy to try the shock factor with spatters of liquid but, in true keeping to the production’s essence, this is avoided but no less uncomfortable. You forever feel in this strange liminal space of not knowing what is truly real but also lulled into senses of security then intense fear. 

The puppetry movements are expertly done. Again, tricking us in trying to determine puppet or human, the movements of the puppets are so naturalistic, smooth and somehow, while completely in front of your eyes, hand placement and the use of a dense dark background, you hardly see the manipulation and it makes it all so much more realistic, effortless and continuing to confuse you in what is real. 

Dracula: Lucy’s Dream is every bit beautiful, gruesome and haunting. The production is a thing to behold, from how realistic it feels to the juxtaposition from the real and the false between human performance and expert puppetry. Not for the faint hearted but something extraordinary to be seen; a masterclass in puppetry theatre.