A blood-curdling scream echoes through the streets of Edinburgh as 'Dracula: Lucy's Dream' prepares to unleash its sinister charm on Fringe audiences this summer! This chilling reimagining of Bram Stoker's iconic vampire narrative promises to sink its fangs deep into your imagination, courtesy of Norwegian theatre director Yngvild Aspeli and her French-Norwegian company Plexus Polaire. With eerily lifelike puppets that blur the lines between inanimate objects and living performers, you'll be on the edge of your seat as Dracula comes to life before your very eyes.
Aspeli believes the Count's inhuman nature makes him purr-fect for puppetry – 'the blood-and-flesh actors bring him to life', she says. The production's technical wizardry is a masterclass in blending reality and illusion, with spectral lighting conjuring transformations that leave audiences gasping. One viewer described it as if Dracula was disintegrating before their eyes only to reappear, leaving a lasting impression that will haunt you long after the curtain falls.
But don't expect a straightforward retelling of Stoker's classic – 'Dracula: Lucy's Dream' takes significant liberties with the original, drawing inspiration from a 1901 Icelandic translation titled 'Powers of Darkness'. By placing Mina's friend, Lucy Westenra, at its heart, the show subverts expectations and challenges the patriarchal scientific men who dominate the narrative. Aspeli aims to move female characters out of the victim position by shifting perspective, not altering the story itself – a clever counterforce that will leave you thinking long after the lights come up.
Aspeli's exploration of manipulation and psychological trauma is woven into a production that's as much about atmosphere and illusion as it is about technical wizardry. With minimal props and a small cast, she conjures a fully realised world that's part conjuring act, part puppet show – all bound together by the 'power of illusion' and 'old-school handcraft of puppetry'.
The puppets themselves are the stars of the show, designed to be as light and anatomically correct as possible, allowing for realistic movements that blur the line between actor and puppeteer. The sound design is equally unnerving, with piercing howls and an eerie original song, 'The Children of the Night', echoing descriptions from Stoker's novel when Jonathan Harker hears wolves.
Prepare to be unsettled by this unique and potentially unforgettable experience at the Edinburgh Fringe – a true masterpiece that will leave you sleeping with the lights on!