Dracula
Twin Beach Players brings Dracula to the light of day in North Beach. Needle-sharp teeth sink into soft flesh … but I digress.
By the way, did you know that a vampire’s fangs are retractable? They are. I’ve often wondered about that.
The mood of the play is established by a lengthy, somber intro and an eerie set, evoking the interior of an old castle. Wolves howl in the background. Just across the valley sits another old castle, which belongs to — yes, Count Dracula.
The residents of our castle, Dr. Seward’s Asylum for the Insane, are getting ready to enjoy a dinner party. The party is hosted by Dr. Seward (Sid Curl). An uninvited guest shows up in the person of Renfield (Josh Cosman), an escaped inmate of the asylum who Dr. Seward vainly tries to keep confined. Then another late arrival appears. (He had to wait until sundown.) Who’s this? Yes, it’s our Count Dracula (Justyn Christofel), and he is definitely interested in dinner — the liquid type.
There follows a madcap series of events wherein Dracula has set his sights on the young, innocent Mina (Sherry Hall). Things are pretty much going in Dracula’s favor until Professor Henrietta Van Helsing (Eva Miller) arrives. She’s another late arrival, and it just happens that her hobby is chasing vampires. She lends her considerable expertise in foiling Dracula’s evil designs.
The play is antic from beginning to end. This being opening night, there were a few stumbles and flubbed lines, but that didn’t detract from my fun. On the other hand, there were instances that required perfect timing, and the cast nailed it. The veteran Sid Curl provided just the right amount of sober cluelessness as Dr. Seward. I also liked the self-assured Christofel in the title role; he centered the play. The cast and the audience were in this together; everyone had fun.
Dracula by Ted Tiller. Conceived, designed and directed by Sid Curl. Produced by Lynda Collins and Philomena Gorenflo.
Playing thru Nov. 6 at 8pm FSa; 6pm Su; 8pm Oct. 27; midnight Oct. 29 at North Beach Volunteer Fire Department, 8536 Bayside Rd,. Chesapeake Beach. $15 w/discounts: 410-474-4214; [email protected].