Review: Dracula (Lyric Hammersmith)
- All That Dazzles
- Sep 18
- 4 min read
Review by Dan Ghigeanu
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
In an era full of adaptations, reboots, and retellings, reviving Dracula, arguably one of the most frequently adapted stories in history might seem like a risky task. After all, what more could possibly be said about the world’s most famous vampire? As it turns out, quite a lot.
Written by Morgan Lloyd Malcolm and directed by Emma Baggott, Dracula at Lyric Hammersmith breathes fresh life into Bram Stoker’s spooky tale. The result is not just a modern take on the classic tale, but a bold, feminist retelling that strips away the traditional to expose something raw, vital, and unforgettably human.
At the heart of this production lies a bold narrative. This Dracula is told through the eyes and voice of Mina Harker, framing the plot through letters, journals, and personal testimony. Morgan Lloyd Malcolm’s script not only repositions Mina Harker as the central figure but also interrogates the dynamics of gender, control, and authorship that have always underpinned Dracula’s mythology. By positioning Mina as the narrator, the production peels back layers of gothic drama to reveal a psychological and emotional depth often overlooked in more traditional stagings.
Opening with a jump scare, Dracula immediately establishes a thrilling tone for the entire performance. The choice to have Mina address the audience directly, saying that she cannot promise our safety this evening, is an excellent touch, drawing us into the unsettling atmosphere from the start. In this adaptation, Mina is portrayed as the sole survivor of the harrowing events, traveling from town to town to recount her version of the story. By positioning Mina as the narrator, the production creates a more intimate connection with the audience, allowing her to engage with us on a personal level as she unfolds the tragic narrative.
At the centre of this electrifying reinterpretation is Umi Myers, whose performance as Mina Harker is not just the heart of the production, it is its very soul. There is something quietly radical about her performance. Too often, Mina Harker has been a footnote in Dracula’s tale, a moral compass, a symbol of purity, a survivor made passive by narrative convention. Umi Myers obliterates that version. Her Mina is intelligent, furious, and brave. She is traumatised but not broken, and her journey is one of reclaiming not only her story, but her voice. Watching her navigate the shifting terrain of memory, truth, and agency is thrilling, and by the end, she stands not just as the survivor of Dracula’s horror, but as the clear author of its undoing.
One of the production’s boldest choices is how it handles the Count himself. Rather than placing Dracula physically at the centre of the action, the production executes him as an elusive, looming presence, sometimes voiced, sometimes represented through shadow work, occasionally being implied. This deliberate removal of focus from Dracula highlights the narrative’s feminist reframing that this isn’t his narrative anymore. He is the shadow that haunts the tale, but no longer its protagonist.
The illusion design by John Bulleid and Gareth Kalyan, is exemplary. Never feeling gimmicky, instead, they support and elevate the story. Whether it's Dracula’s ominous, unseen presence or the sudden appearance of supernatural elements, the illusions are flawlessly executed. Grace Smart’s set and costume design embrace a stripped-back, minimal aesthetic that allows the performances and story to take centre stage. Her approach is minimal but never underwhelming.
Jack Myers delivers a deeply affecting performance as Jonathan. His portrayal captures a fragile masculinity, cracking under the weight of trauma. As his character descends into a haunted state, he leans into the horror and psychological disarray with intensity, leading to a dark resolution. Mei Mac playing Lucy is heartbreakingly effective as a victim of both Dracula and a society that refuses to listen to women. She plays her descent with clarity, portraying Lucy as a young woman caught in forces far beyond her control, yet full of life. The ensemble are impressively strong. Each actor playing different roles with fluidity, lending the show with a dynamic energy. All of them gets their moment to shine especially B Terry’s portrayal of Renfield and Phoebe Naughton’s of Van Helsing. In this version Renfield becomes a tragic, eerily figure, played with unsettling conviction and eerie charm while Van Helsing becomes more of a comic relief rather than the vampire hunter we all know.
Director Emma Baggott’s vision is sharp, unsettling, and thematically cohesive. She navigates the fine balance between horror and drama, never allowing the atmosphere to overwhelm the emotional core of the story. The feminist take at the heart of this adaptation builds up before erupting in a moment of pure rage. The production doesn't just retell Dracula, it interrogates it, reclaiming the narrative space for voices too often marginalised in gothic literature.
This Dracula is not just a vampire story, it is a haunting exploration of memory, control, autonomy, and female rage. It follows a darker, more complex path. In a day and age where so many adaptations feel like pale shadows of their source material, this version dares to reimagine rather than rework.
There may be moments where the pacing stutters, or where the ambitious storytelling devices require more patience from the audience than a traditional retelling might, but the production is so unapologetically bold in its vision that it makes up for it especially with the twist at the end. ‘Beware the teller as much as the tale’.
Dracula at the Lyric Hammersmith is a gripping, genre-defying reinvention of a classic, anchored by a phenomenal performance from Umi Myers and supported by a cast and creative team that are on top of their game, it delivers horror, heart, and a haunting feminist reawakening of an immortal tale.
Dracula plays at Lyric Hammersmith until 11th October
Photos by Marc Brenner