THE UNSERIOUS UNDEAD
“You will be horrified!” The 5 gamers announce, “- one way or another”. And with a flourish they hurl Bram Stoker’s e book behind them into Tijana Bjelajac’s remarkably elegant (but neon edged) late-Victorian set. Before lengthy we’re seeing Charlie Stemp’s timorous Harker together with his estate-agent briefcase creaking into the dread fortress door and assembly the Count. Who is in his exercise gear of lacy mini-basque, ciré trouserings and peekaboo midriff.
Which is, after all, simply what a thousand-year-old Victorian vampire ought to all the time put on, when not in a swirling cape, fitted floorlength kimono and weskit with darling corset-lace element (Tristan Rains’ s costumes are great, two of the wigs spectacular). And Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen’s revue-style spoof , an off-Broadway hit, is in each side simply as tightly and thoroughly labored . So right here’s 90 straight minutes wherein 5 top-flight comedian performers re-enact, queerstyle and figuring out, the immortal story of the Transylvanian aristocratic vampire who takes a visit to East Yorkshire.
It’s noisy, it’s quick, it’s unflaggingly enjoyable. Charlie Stemp (who’s allowed a fast step-dance, simply to remind us of his greatness) is a timid and downtrodden Harker (till a kiss from the vampire gingers him up). James Daly is the lanky, camp, improbably buff blond and determinedly thirsty Vampire.
Which is to not undervalue the acute scene-stealing of Sebastien Torkia: first as Lucy’s erotically determined sister Mina, vastly beruffled in a wild ginger wig (THIS, girls, is what REAL cross-dressing ought to be like ). He reappears laster as Van Helsing, who on this model is a girl physician, forbiddingly ultra-German in a scary hat and costume. Other scenes are stolen by Dianne Pilkington as amongst others a pompous little Dr Westfield and one among his asylum sufferers working as a butler in an ill-fitting strait-jacket with the arms dangling. In one late scene he performs each, with the previous revue trick of twirling from one to the opposite with high wig-work.
As for Safeena Ladha’s Lucy, she too morphs round a bit – all of them have hasty second-jobs to do – however displahs the identical dead-drop timing and fearless bodily mischief such a present wants, and will get. Fine prop-work and intermittent puppetry too, because the dastardly story of bloodsucking and deceit proceeds from Transylvania to the excessive seas to Whitby to London and lots of a coffin. Any required fog, wolves’ eyes, bat invasions, storms and extra characters nimbly offered. Lovely.
www menierchocolatefactory.com to three May
score 4
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