It's possible I'll never be afraid of vampires again. Well, at least not vampires like the one portrayed in Between Shifts Theatre's production of Dracula: the Panto.
Dracula, played by Brian Eckersley, is totally hilarious. Eckersley has the comic touch: his Dracula really does find himself uproariously humorous. Eckersley does well in his role - he's funny, evil and entirely likeable. And just the fact that he finds himself so entertaining makes him great to watch. Although his lines are somewhat corny and his jokes awful, they are delivered with flair and enjoyment.
The comic duo of Steak and Kidney (played by Liz Gruber and Ben Pietla) are truly hysterical. The French accents are stereotypical and the pair is genuinely funny as the incompetent and unwitting sidekicks to Dracula's plot to kidnap the local innkeeper's daughter and turn her into his bride. They are rather stupid, but great fun. Although, it is possible that the tightness of Kidney's pants did in fact cut off the circulation to his brain. At one point he thinks there is a magic hat with a bunny in it and proceeds to call "here kitty kitty."
Mike Underwood as Dame Rosie Glow is almost frighteningly grotesque with the overdone hair, makeup and costume. I love the obvious obliviousness of the character, who sees herself in the best possible light, while presenting herself in the worst possible way.
Another bright spot in the show (forgetting for a moment the great costumes) is Skai Stevenson in his role as Boris, Dracula's werewolf henchman, who wants to be anything but. He's whiny and Stevenson does a great job making the part-animal, part-human character come to life, and convincingly at that.
This rendition of Dracula is audience interactive. Viewers can boo and hiss at the villains - something Dracula despises - or yell warnings to the more skittish characters. Although it was a bit distracting at first as the dancers and characters wandered into the seating area, it soon became another form of entertainment.
Dracula: the Panto runs Jan. 13 to Jan. 15 at 8 p.m., with a Saturday matinee performance at 2 p.m. at the Eagle Eye Theatre with 100 per cent of ticket proceeds going to tsunami relief efforts. Tickets are available at Billie's Bouquet and the Eagle Run Coffee Company at $10 for adult and $5 for kids 12 and under, seniors, and students.
