Review: DRACULA: MINA’S RECKONING, Festival Theatre Edinburgh - Tour

Photo credit: Mihaela Bodlovic

There are few characters as well-known as Dracula. The terrifying vampire from Bram Stoker’s tale has permeated pop culture, inspiring everything from the most chilling of horror movies to Sesame Street’s Count. Now, the National Theatre of Scotland and Aberdeen Performing Arts give us a new version of the tale – a reimagined set in Aberdeen putting women, particularly the titular Mina, at the centre of the story.

In Morna Pearson’s retelling, the familiar story is framed by Mina Murray’s arrival at the Aberdeen Asylum for Women, where she tells her fellow inmates a tale of almost unbelievable terror. Her story is played out in flashbacks, which mostly follow the traditional story, albeit with a new Scottish setting and Doric inflection. Indeed, it is only towards the very end of the play that a real divergence from the expected plot occurs – it’s one we won’t spoil here and it is effective, to the point that we almost wished there were more twists on the original tale to really put a new spin on things.

Where this piece shines, however, is with its cast, made up entirely of female and non-binary performers. As they take on every role in the story, we see the misogyny and blatant sexism that women were faced with in the late 1800s and, although often played for laughs (like Maggie Bain’s Dr. Seward insisting, “You can grow a brain or you can grow a baby,” to his fiancée Lucy when he learns she enjoys reading books), it’s plain to the audience that these were real issues women faced. Much of Mina’s character arc comes from her desiring the freedom to go anywhere and do anything that she wants to do, something she cannot do as a woman, making the allure of Dracula’s curse all the more appealing. Danielle Jam is a wonderful Mina – often narrating the story, she is a truly commanding and outstanding presence on stage.

The undoubted central presence throughout, however, is Liz Kettle as Dracula himself. Every time Kettle is on stage, she draws the audience to her, almost hypnotising us like we too are victims of Dracula. She seems to glide rather than walk, and she is a truly formidable figure. Make no mistake, this is no watered down, toothless monster – Kettle’s Dracula is the stuff of nightmares, fearsome and inhuman. It’s a frankly astonishing performance that needs to be seen to be believed.

Kenneth MacLeod’s set is effective, with multiple jagged levels to reflect both the crumbling castle and dreary asylum, coupled with Aideen Malone’s atmospheric lighting design and Lewis den Hertog’s clever videos and projections. Morna Pearson has created a powerfully feminist retelling of a story that tends to sideline its female characters and this, alongside Sally Cookson’s direction, reframes the tale we think we know and gives it new life for a modern audience.

**** Four stars

Reviewed by: Lorna Murray

Dracula: Mina’s Reckoning plays at Festival Theatre, Edinburgh until 14 October before continuing its tour, with further information here.