Review: COUNT DYKULA, Soho Theatre

“Let’s make monsters fun again”

Airlock Theatre has returned to Soho Theatre with their “third big queer musical extravaganza” - Count Dykula. Written and performed by Eleanor Colville, Rosanna Suppa and Robbie Taylor Hunt, the show tells the story of the titular Count Dykula (Suppa), a butch vampire who simply wants to live her life in peace, terrorising children in the woods. However, Dykula’s loner way of life is no longer the norm for monsters, and she must go to the newly-established Scare University to figure out just whats happening to the classic monster way of life. 

Dykula discovers that her nemesis, Scarlet Fang (Colville), is running Scare University with the slogan, “Make monsters fun again” (sound familiar?). Scarlet Fang is the perfect image of the type of vampire Dykula fears - a woman straight out of Lesbian Vampire Killers, a film that is referenced multiple times throughout the show (I was quite surprised to find out this film was actually real doing a Google search after the show). In order to go back to her normal life, Count Dykula must join forces with the outcasts and losers of Scare University - a were-pug without a pack, a zombie who dreams of performing on stage, a ghost and a goblin.

It doesn’t take long to realise that the struggles of Count Dykula are a metaphor for queerness, particularly the trans experience. Not much is done with this, as the creators focus more on the silly than the serious. It’s certainly a fun show, but with such an interesting subject matter and a fantastic metaphor, much more could have been done to connect the fantasy world of Scare University to our own, especially with such blatant Trump references like “Make monsters fun again” being proclaimed by Scarlet Fang (who could easily be FOX News’s next anchor).

There are plenty of popular culture references and crude jokes that get laughs from the audience, but many of them don’t really have anything to do with the plot. References to vampire-themed media like Nosferatu and Buffy the Vampire Slayer were expected and welcomed, but entire segments about Were-Pug’s sexual health got to a point in which it felt uncomfortable to listen. There were plenty more pug-related jokes that could have been made instead, something I longed for after the fourth time hearing about just how big the character’s vagina is. 

And don’t forget - the show is also a musical. Meg Narongchai is the sole onstage musician, also taking on the role of set pieces to establish that the characters are in new locations as needed. Narongchai switches between a few different instruments and does a great job, though it is sometimes difficult to hear the live music over the prerecorded tracks.

I found myself wishing that they had kept the set small like they did for previous shows - part of what made Pansexual Pregnant Piracy so fun was its intimacy, and that intimacy could have greatly improved the atmosphere of Count Dykula. Having large set pieces like the broken columns and the stage make the quick changes and scene transitions seem a bit flimsy in comparison, as we are shown the potential of what could have been with a higher budget.

Count Dykula is a silly show about how one finds their place in the world, even if it is a world full of literal monsters. Colville, Suppa and Hunt all give Great Performances, even if they are at times overshadowed by the looming set surrounding them.

Count Dykula runs from 11 February to 1 March at Soho Theatre.

“Let’s make monsters fun again”

Airlock Theatre has returned to Soho Theatre with their “third big queer musical extravaganza” - Count Dykula. Written and performed by Eleanor Colville, Rosanna Suppa and Robbie Taylor Hunt, the show tells the story of the titular Count Dykula (Suppa), a butch vampire who simply wants to live her life in peace, terrorising children in the woods. However, Dykula’s loner way of life is no longer the norm for monsters, and she must go to the newly-established Scare University to figure out just whats happening to the classic monster way of life. 

Dykula discovers that her nemesis, Scarlet Fang (Colville), is running Scare University with the slogan, “Make monsters fun again” (sound familiar?). Scarlet Fang is the perfect image of the type of vampire Dykula fears - a woman straight out of Lesbian Vampire Killers, a film that is referenced multiple times throughout the show (I was quite surprised to find out this film was actually real doing a Google search after the show). In order to go back to her normal life, Count Dykula must join forces with the outcasts and losers of Scare University - a were-pug without a pack, a zombie who dreams of performing on stage, a ghost and a goblin. 

It doesn’t take long to realise that the struggles of Count Dykula are a metaphor for queerness, particularly the trans experience, not much is done with this, as the creators focus more on the silly than the serious. It’s certainly a fun show, but with such an interesting subject matter and a fantastic metaphor, much more could have been done to connect the fantasy world of Scare University to our own, especially with such blatant Trump references like “Make monsters fun again” being proclaimed by Scarlet Fang (who could easily be FOX News’s next anchor).

There are plenty of popular culture references and crude jokes that get laughs from the audience, but many of them don’t really have anything to do with the plot. References to vampire-themed media like Nosferatu and Buffy the Vampire Slayer were expected and welcomed, but entire segments about Were-Pug’s sexual health got to a point in which it felt uncomfortable to listen. There were plenty more pug-related jokes that could have been made instead, something I longed for after the fourth time hearing about just how big the character’s vagina is. 

And don’t forget - the show is also a musical. Meg Narongchai is the sole onstage musician, also taking on the role of set pieces to establish that the characters are in new locations as needed. Narongchai switches between a few different instruments and does a great job, though it is sometimes difficult to hear the live music over the prerecorded tracks.

I found myself wishing that they had kept the set small like they did for previous shows - part of what made Pansexual Pregnant Piracy so fun was its intimacy, and that intimacy could have greatly improved the atmosphere of Count Dykula. Having large set pieces like the broken columns and the stage make the quick changes and scene transitions seem a bit flimsy in comparison, as we are shown the potential of what could have been with a higher budget.

Ultimately, Count Dykula is a silly show about how one finds their place in the world, even if it is a world full of literal monsters. Colville, Suppa and Hunt all give Great Performances, even if they are at times overshadowed by the looming set surrounding them.

Count Dykula runs until 1 March at Soho Theatre.

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