Theatrius
  • Now Playing
  • Coming Soon
  • Writers
    • About Us
    • Millennial Notes
  • All Reviews
  • Reflections
  • Theaters
  • Search Icon

Theatrius

Theater Reviews—San Francisco and Beyond

“Dracula”—A Haunting Masterpiece, at Theatre Lunatico, Berkeley

“Dracula”—A Haunting Masterpiece, at Theatre Lunatico, Berkeley

October 24, 2018 Rachel Norby

Millennial Notes

Steven Dietz Entices Us with Suspense and Mystery

by Rachel Norby

I thoroughly enjoyed Theatre Lunatico’s masterful presentation of “Dracula.” Performed in La Val’s Subterranean Theater, the setting is intimate and spooky. Whispered echoes from the ensemble add to the eeriness. An ageless story about the vampire who cannot die, Lunatico’s “Dracula” impressed me with superb acting, costuming, and staging.

“Dracula” opens in London, 1897, where serious Dr. Seward (resolute Shoresh Alaudini) has fallen in love with the fickle Lucy (versatile April Culver). Dr. Seward is determined to make a name for himself by understanding what causes the lunacy of a patient in the mental hospital, Renfield (talented Maria Grazia Affinito).  Alaudini perfectly conveys Seward’s stalwart nature, mingled with quiet desperation.

Eileen Fisher (Dr. Van Helsing) & Shoresh Alaudini (Dr. Seward)

Maria Grazia Affinito, brilliant as Renfield, endears herself to us, creepily, with her desperate loyalty for Count Dracula (sinister Michael Barr). Renfield, the “madwoman,” is constantly on-stage, many times in the shadows, never allowing us to forget that something sinister is lurking in the dark, soon to be revealed.

April Culver deserves full marks for her dynamic performance as Lucy, initially sweet and simple, later taunting and vicious. Shawn Oda is perfectly cast as Mina, Lucy’s friend. She is completely genuine in her performance—stable, earnest, and virtuous—then surprisingly cunning.

April Culver (Lucy the Vampire)

When Lucy falls ill with a mysterious sickness, Seward calls on his mentor Van Helsing, expertly played by the unfaltering Eileen Fisher. Fisher moves the play forward, inspiring us with her directness and determination. “Are we to cower in the face of such adversity?” she demands, urging the others to join her in the fight against evil.

Leon Goertzen is excellent as Jonathon Harker, Mina’s betrothed, with his deep, booming voice. The maid (versatile Jessica Lauren) and the hospital attendant (convincing Bryce Smith) round out the fantastic cast.

Shawn Oda (Mina) and April Culver (Lucy)

Along with the top-notch acting, Theatre Lunatico incorporates first-rate details. From the blood transfusion kit, to the actual holes burnt through pages of a diary, to unnerving echoes–the creative team spares no horrors. Bravo to all Lunatico’s.

“Dracula” by Steven Dietz, directed by Tina Taylor, at Theatre Lunatico, Berkeley, California, through Sunday, November 18, 2018. Info: draculalunatico.com

Cast: Maria Grazia Affinito, Shoresh Alaudini, Michal Barr, April Culver, Eileen Fisher, Leon Goertzen, Jessica Lauren, Shawn Oda, and Bryce Smith.

Banner photo: Michael Barr (Dracula)


Millennial Notes, Plays

Post navigation

NEXT
“You Mean to Do Me Harm”—Four Superb Actors Expose Our Obsessions, at S.F. Playhouse
PREVIOUS
“Hedda Gabler” Surprises and Charms, at Pear Theatre, Mountain View
Comments are closed.

Menu

  • Now Playing
  • Coming Soon
  • Writers
    • About Us
    • Millennial Notes
  • All Reviews
  • Reflections
  • Theaters

Subscribe for future reviews!

Recent Shows

  • “Snowblind”—Breathtaking View of Love & Fate, Impeccably Danced, at S.F. Ballet
  • “I, Too, Sing America” Melds Lyrics, Diversity, Joy, at BATCO, S.F.
  • “A White Girl’s Guide to International Terrorism”—Spunky Teenage Dreams, at S.F. Playhouse
  • “Mother Courage” Trades Sympathy for Spectacle, at Ubuntu, Oakland
  • “Honky”—A Comic Roller-Coaster Ride, at Role Players, Danville
  • “She Persisted, the Musical”—Trailblazing Women Inspire Kids, at BACT, Berkeley
  • “Poetics 2”–Fun, Spirited Satire, at PianoFight, S.F.
  • “Late Company” Comes with A Hatchet to Bury, at NCTC, S.F.
  • “Communicating Doors”: Comical Crime Thriller, at Center REP, Walnut Creek
  • “Creditors”: A Brilliant Conspiracy of Vengeance, at Aurora, Berkeley
  • “Seascape” Celebrates Familiar, Alien Worlds, at ACT, S.F.
  • “Peg+Cat Live!” Delivers Musical Blast, at Bay Area Children’s Theatre
  • “Metamorphoses” Enchants, at Berkeley Rep
  • “Late Company” Unravels Gay Bullying, at NCTC, S.F.
  • “Spending the End of the World on Ok Cupid” Reconnects Us, at Pear Theatre, Mountain View

Social

About us:

If you want to see the best plays & performances around the San Francisco Bay or beyond, read our reviews. We promise to give you a true report on the best shows.

Bay Area Critics Circle

Barry David Horwitz, Editor of Theatrius, is a Voting Member of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics' Circle, SFBATCC.

© 2019   All Rights Reserved.