Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen Come Back to The Globe with the West Coast Premiere of "Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors"

 One Clever Act Full of Wit and Hysterical Performances

A Blog View by Alejandra Enciso-Dardashti

(Clockwise from left) Drew Droege, George Krissa, Linda Mugleston, Gizel Jiménez, and Brady Dalton Richards in
Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors.Photo by Jim Cox.

The creative duo of Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen are back at The Globe to bring the laughs with another comedic adaptation of a classic. The seductive, plotting Dracula debuts in Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors. Based on Irish author Bram Stoker's gothic horror novel, this piece is a 90-minute, no-intermission, set of laughs that captures the essential. 

Like its predecessors Crime and Punishment and Ebenezer Scrooge’s BIG San Diego Christmas Show, 'Dracula has a cast of five actors that play various roles at a dynamic pace. Real estate agent Harker (Brady Dalton Richards)  is finalizing another sale with Count Dracula (George Krissa). As Harker shares his new engagement with Lucy (Gizel Jiménez) while showing her picture, the Count obsesses and plots to meet her at no expense. During their engagement party, Dracula meets Lucy's father, Dr. Westfeldt (Linda Mugleston), and her sister Mina (Drew Droege) who swoons over the Count. The Fangy character's plans fail and Mina falls ill. Dr. Westfeldt employs Van Helsing's (also Drew Droege) services to help with Mina's condition which is getting worse. Lucy desperate for her sister's recovery joins a search with the doctors and Harker to be faced with truths and a sight that will change her relationship and upcoming marriage. 

The comedic ability of each actor in this production is sky-high. Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen's writing is witty and naughty-naughty, surprising audiences continuously with funny innuendos, producing ongoing laughter. Drew Droege as both Mina and Van Helsing is hysterically funny, the wigs used for both characters definitely add to the comedic effect with Mina using tight red curls while Dr. Van Helsing in a German air, has buns with braids in the back in the form of a pretzel. Linda Mugleston as Lucy's father and his crazy patient Renfield, again, with great wigs that truly accentuated the character and contributed to the role switch even on stage making the laughs go, and go. At the same time, audiences clapped celebrating those sharp performances. Tijana Bjelajac's scenic design blends black with purple and indigo to have that musty, old, scary manner effect hand in hand with Rob Denton's lighting design that not only brought the stage to life but also lit signs and laser-type effects that came from the sides of the house. Tristan Raines's costume design is attractive and fabulous using corsets, lace, corduroy, and even denim to land those fierce looks that, in George Krissa's case, also showed well-toned flesh, an added appeal by Greenberg and Rosen's pen that was playful and did work with the setting. Krissa understood the task and, aside from probably being one of the most attractive Draculas on a theatre stage, his performance was playful and prompted many laughs. Gizel Jiménez (love that she includes the accent in her last name) is sweet as she is corky and does play a "secondary" role that she too gets the most out of histrionically and clicking with Brady Dalton Richards as the loving and fragile Harker who also has a mad wardrobe design that marks a shift in the character all the way to the hairstyle. 

Gizel Jiménez as Lucy and Drew Droege as Mina in Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors. Photo by Jim Cox.

Plays in the round are tricky because it all depends on location, sometimes the actor's back is to one side while something is happening particularly there, and so on. Gordon Greenberg's direction took care of that aspect and had the cast go round and round to catch all angles of the space. It was noticed and appreciated. 

Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors embraces the adaptation mode keeping the essential aspects of the popular novel while adding fun, clever comedy that makes the play fun and light. This is a complete effort that involves well-trained actors who can pivot on the spot, careful direction, and fitting stage and costume design as well as the wigs. I did not find if there was a wig designer but those pieces definitely are a key factor in this. Go see for yourself and enjoy -several-, ahem -many- good laughs.

Currently playing until November 3. For more information click HERE.