Dracula review

Dracula, Arts University College Bournemouth School of Performance, Lighthouse, Poole
2:34pm Saturday 13th March 2010

By Linda Kirkman »


THIS production celebrated the collaboration between the various courses in the School of Performance – acting, costume design, film, make-up, animation, model making, digital media production – and the result was sensational.

With few props other than sheets, ladder-back chairs and hanging ladders plus incredible graphics, stunning effects and chillingly appropriate background music, the well-known story of Count Dracula and his thirst for blood can surely never have been told in a more original fashion.

Co-devised by the cast, this very physical production involved incredible gymnastic-like movements that came into their own during the brilliant shipwreck scene, as well as highly detailed performances that brought other scenes such as those in the lunatic asylum and Dracula’s castle bursting into vivid life. And the excellent costumes, made especially for the production from clothing donated by OXFAM, were outstanding.

The cast, most of whom I have seen several times this season in various productions, can clearly encompass many differing styles of acting and in that respect I must pick out for particular praise Kevin Leslie (Dracula), Becky Snellin (Lucy Westenra), James Benedict (Renfield), Nicholas Farr (Jonathan Harker) and Jane Crawshaw (Mina Harker).

They and their fellow cast members instilled a real sense of terror into this absolutely brilliant production.

Backstage at Dracula

Working on the AUCB Dracula prodction backstage, the jobs various jobs that I did were dressing, for the three male leads in the show. This included Dracula, Reinfeild and Harker. These included quick changes and quite a few costume changes being done in the wings. As well as dressing I helped to do alterations and odd bits and pieces that needed doing. We were there from Thursday the 11th the massive tech day! then the first performance on Friday before finishing on Saturday in the final performance. Overall an amazing show to be a part of and I had a great time!

Dracula - Poole Lighthouse 12th 13th March 2010

I recently worked on the AUCB production of Dracula, which was put on by third year BA Acting and the costume were made by BA Costume with performance design. As well as making a costume and helping on others we all worked backstage too. Here are some production photos of my costume and a few other little bits.