• click here to return to the homepage •
or 
Home > Categories > Entertainment > Stageshows > Dracula review
"Dracula" will be a devised theatrical production exploring the narrative created by Bram Stoker. The aim is to explore the interactive nature of performance, breaking down the barriers between audience, performer and the performance space.
Taking inspiration from the "Amazing Maze Horror Night" situated outside of Marton and the increased popularity of the horror/thriller genre in cinemas, "Bloodworks" aims to create a ninety minute show based on the novel by Bram Stoker. The story of Dracula is one of the great, all-time horror stories and has been frightening people for over a hundred years. It has a strong, well known narrative that lends itself to interactive audience involvement.
This will see the creation of a new theatre genre: Thriller-Theatre.
Venue: Palmerston North electric power station Keith Street, just off Main Street.
Show runs from the 15th of May to the 29th of May.
Starts at 8 pm on the 15th, 16th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 23rd, 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th and the 29th May with a midnight show on Friday the 21st (if you dare).
No shows Monday 17 and 24, and Saturday 22.
The Meridian Energy season of Dracula
The Best of 'Not the Nine O'clock News' - vol 2
Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius - Sea of Trouble
The Two Ronnies - Series 2
The Wiggles : Series 3
Doctor Who - The Deadly Assassin
James May's Man Lab - series 1
Primeval New Zealand
NZ Airsoft
The Wiggles: Emma's Bowtiful Day
Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars
Our Girl
Juan Vesuvias - I Am Your Deejay
SerengetiProduct reviews...
Review by: wheeled thing (David)
Dated: 20th of May, 2004
Being quite a big fan of Dracula, I approached this show with just a hint of trepidation. After finding out that I was also to see it, not in a theatre as I had expected, but in a disused electric power plant, my interest was piqued anew.
I arrived at the venue eager to see the possible difficulties I may encounter during the show. Pleasantly surprised, I found easy access to the building and an eagerness from the crew to offer their assisstance at any time should I need. Candles lit a small room in which the audience gathered to wait for the start of the show and hear some safety rules. I noticed an extra nice touch added to a bowl in the centre of the room - garlic. We all were led through some doors and placed in a circle on white sheets which covered what I found out later were Judo mats.
In walked two young girls and sat in the middle of the circle, both with dolls, which they started to play with. As they are playing it becomes clear they are acting out, in their way, the story of Dracula. The action then moves to Jonathan Harker, recently married and on business in the mountains of Transylvania. From then on, the action was fast-paced and well scripted. The use of Judo mats on the floor became apparent as the play progressed from a semi-interactive face to face between Jonathan and Dracula to a reasonably involved and active telling of the Bram Stoker story.
The use of the power plant as a venue was a good choice, in my opinion, as it gave the actors the added benefit of realistic scenery for the time period.
In all, I feel that this was one of the most faithful and stirring versions of this classic story of Dracula.
Random listing from 'Entertainment'...
Rene is the most wanted man in occupied France. Women want his body. The resistance wants his brain. The Nazis want his sausage!
'Allo 'Allo! follows Rene Artois - cafe owner in the Nazi-occupied French town of Nouvion, and his efforts to appease a range of opposing factions - including the French Resistance and the German SS - without being killed.
With the German army practically in residence in his cafe, Rene risks his ... more...
All trademarks, images and copyrights on this site are owned by their respective companies.
KIWIreviews is an independent entity, part of the Knock Out News Group. This is a free public forum presenting user opinions on selected products, and as such the views expressed do not necessarily reflect the opinion of kiwireviews.nz and are protected under New Zealand law by the "Honest Opinion" clause of the Defamation Act of 1992. KIWIreviews accepts no liability for statements made on this site, on the premise that they have been submitted as the true and honest opinions of the individual posters. In most cases, prices and dates stated are approximate and should be considered as only guidelines.
"Action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action."
Benjamin Disraeli
