Review Roundup: DRACULA

Count Dracula, the world's most famous vampire, returns to the New York stage this fall in DRACULA by Hamilton Deane and John L. Balderston, based on the eponymous novel by Bram Stoker, opened January 5 at the Little Shubert Theatre (442 West 42nd Street). Paul Alexander directs the production, which began previews December 14. Based on the world-famous novel by Bram Stoker, DRACULA is the classic Gothic drama about the power of seduction and the nature of true love.

Two-time Tony Award-winner George Hearn leads the cast as Abraham Van Helsing. Emily Bridges stars as Dracula's love interest Lucy Seward. Making his American stage debut, in the title role of Dracula, is Michel Altieri, a major star of the Italian stage who recently starred as the Beast in the Italian premiere of Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and as Tom Collins in the Italian premiere of RENT, produced by Luciano Pavarotti, who handpicked the actor out of 5,000 hopefuls. Among his honors are an Italian Tony Award and a scholarship to study at the Strasberg Institute, awarded by Anna Strasberg and Dennis Hopper. The production also features Jake Silbermann (Jonathan Harker), John Buffalo Mailer (Renfield), Timothy Jerome (Dr. Seward), Katharine Luckinbill (Miss Wells) and Rob O'Hare (Butterworth).

Charles Isherwood, NY Times: "Sadly, this comically creaky production, directed by Paul Alexander and featuring an unfortunate George Hearn as the vampire hunter and the Italian actor Michel Altieri as the caped count, makes the material feel about as immortal as a fruit fly. The creature this lumbering staging most resembles is not one of those comely young vampires with six-pack abs zigzagging at warp speed across screens today, but a lumbering, dead-eyed zombie fresh from the crypt."

Micheal Sommers, NJ Newsroom: "Looking like a lightweight Fabio as Dracula — certainly more toothy than fanged — a hollow-cheeked Michel Altieri sports a vaguely Italian accent and long, flowing tresses as he stiffly stalks Emily Bridges' statuesque Lucy. As for the rest of Alexander's misguided company — why waste your time in reading about their futile attempts to make this dear old bat of a melodrama fly?"

Matt Windman, am New York: "Unfortunately, Paul Alexander’s slow-paced production is dramatically inert and sloppy in every imaginable way. The set looks as though it were designed for a high school production. Even the special effects are disappointing, particularly the bat that dangles from the top of the stage like a rag doll and the overused smoke machine."

Peter Santilli, Associated Press: "Too much of the narrative is driven by dialogue set in the study of a rural English sanitarium — static scenes with very little action or aesthetics. This button-down interpretation of the script hems in a talented creative team and leaves the audience wanting more access to the count's mansion, Renfield's cell or the streets of London."

Elisabeth Vincentelli, NY Post: "The show's most memorable performance is by John Buffalo Mailer (son of novelist Norman) as Drac's lunatic henchman, Renfield. At times, he seems to be auditioning for a downtown version of "Hamlet," then it's right back to cackling and hissing and crouching. In the show's best scene, he even crawls down a wall -- head first. With luck, "Glee" will snap him up to play a deranged choir director."

Joe Dziemianowicz, NY Daily News: Awkward acting, cheapo effects and a tatty set raise giggles, not goose bumps.

 

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