A hilarious musical retelling of Dracula, with awesome sound effects and jokes for days!
Suitable for ages 11+.
Dracapella is a wildly entertaining show, with scarcely a moment passing without raucous laughter from the audience. The whip-smart jokes land with relentless energy, keeping the room eruptive from start to finish. This well-known, frequently retold tale of Count Dracula is reimagined through musical numbers, epic sound effects, and deliciously English humour, making Dracapella a wonderfully entertaining night out.
The ensemble is truly delightful, bouncing lines and actions off one another with remarkable ease. There is no weak link in this cast of eight; they hit their marks with precision and display outstanding chemistry. Standout performances come from Keala Settle as the overzealous Lucy and Ciarán Dowd in the dual roles of Dracula’s servant Sinister and the screamingly funny hospital assistant Van Helsing. Both deliver bold, outlandish performances that elevate the production. The entire cast demonstrates excellent comedic timing, allowing co-writers Jez Bond and Dan Patterson’s script to burst with zest and vitality.
Dracapella is a jukebox musical featuring hits such as “Somebody to Love,” “A Thousand Years,” and “Insane in the Brain,” all performed a cappella. Since the release of Pitch Perfect (2012), this vocal style has proven both challenging and highly enjoyable. While one or two musical numbers, such as “Eye of the Tiger,” feel somewhat unnecessary, the familiar favourites remain great fun to listen to.
The sound design is exceptional. Staying true to the a cappella nature of the production, the majority of sound effects are created vocally. Alexander Belgarion Hackett, also known as ABH Beatbox, fulfils the crucial and highly respectable role of generating the atmospheric and surrounding sounds. Gentle wind accompanies the opening of a window, intricate clicks and clacks bring Dracula’s frustratingly archaic lift to life, and, in a scene-stealing moment alongside Settle, the brutal “pulverising” of what might have been a fox is hilariously realised. Hackett’s sound work is impressively synchronised with the cast’s physical performances. If the jokes are the most successful element of the show, the sound design is an exceptionally close second.
Dracapella feels tailor-made for a lively Friday night audience. It is joyous entertainment, perfect for families, friends, date nights, or solo theatre-goers. The cast and crew are wonderful, and the enthusiastic atmosphere created by the audience only amplifies the show’s infectious fun.