"Dracula" at the Little Shubert Theatre

(c) Dracula on Stage

Twilight. True Blood. The Vampire Diaries. There can be little question that the public’s love affair with vampires is very much in full swing. Doubtless this 21st century frenzy for all things bloodsucker prompted the new off-Broadway revival of the play based on Bram Stoker’s Dracula, the vamp tale that started it all.

Unlike today’s fanged fare, however, the 1924 play of the 1897 novel is decidedly, well, not 21st century. The challenge lies in staging a production of a somewhat dated work that succeeds in entertaining today’s audiences. That challenge has been largely met.

In 2011, Dracula isn’t likely to frighten current theatergoers, as the first production did when it premiered. It must therefore rely on other charms to keep the audience invested. The creative team has made a conscious decision to give a knowing wink to several moments in the play that no longer alarm so much as amuse. Indeed, the engaging cast makes the most of such instances, playing up the humor, and allowing the audience to feel that they, too, are in on the joke.

Still, this Dracula is a faithful interpretation of the Hamilton Deane-John Balderston play. Its strength lies in the straightforward nostalgia with which the tale is told. Older audiences will appreciate the trip down haunted memory lane, while younger crowds will delight in discovering the legendary story that spawned the vampire pop culture they know and love.

Bringing the story to (undead) life, the cast is headed by two-time Tony winner George Hearn (La Cage aux Folles, Sunset Boulevard), who exudes a curmudgeonly charisma in the role of vampire detective Van Helsing. Hearn is likeable, while also bringing the appropriate gravitas to the character. When Van Helsing posits his vampire theory, it seems believable that the other characters would buy in.

Debuting on the American stage in the title role is Italian theater star Michel Altieri (Beauty and the Beast, Rent). Such a storied character presents many difficulties for a modern actor. Playing the role completely straight could prove clichéd, and forcing a present-day vampire sensitivity onto the century-old count would be disastrous.

Altieri navigates these difficult waters admirably, infusing his offbeat Dracula with wit, allure, and at times, fury. His intense, even creepy take on the character is tricky to describe. Imagine throwing Antonio Banderas, David Bowie, and the Phantom of the Opera into your washing machine on spin cycle. Their objections notwithstanding, the end product might act a lot like Altieri’s Count. If you’re wondering: yes, this is a good thing.

Ably supporting the leads are stage veteran Timothy Jerome (Me and My Girl) as Dr. Seward; Emily Bridges (Acting: The First Six Lessons) as his mysteriously stricken daughter, Lucy; and Jake Silbermann (As the World Turns) as her loyal fiancée, Jonathan Harker. Jerome is pitch-perfect as the stupefied father searching for a cure for his daughter’s inexplicable ailment. Bridges makes the most of an admittedly non-feminist role, which requires her to be sympathetic while awaiting rescue by the male characters.

She shines in a scene in which a blood-emboldened Lucy makes an aggressive advance on her confounded betrothed. Silbermann impresses as the bewildered Harker, bringing the right mix of youthful bravado and lovestruck devotion to the role. Minor characters Butterworth and Miss Wells are made memorable by the hilarious performances of their portrayers, Rob O’Hare and Katharine Luckinbill.

Finally, John Buffalo Mailer stakes his claim as the definitive scene-stealer with his portrayal of the crazed fly-eater, Renfield. Alternately disturbing and uproarious, he captures attention any time his character appears onstage. Mailer’s fascinatingly quirky performance makes the tortured Renfield unforgettable.

The striking scenic design by Dana Kenn and period costumes by Willa Kim evoke the eerie feel of classic black-and-white horror films. Overall, the production seems intended to appeal to a mainstream audience, rather than New York theatre critics, who tend to prize highbrow snoozefests with middle-aged WASPs and baby boomer monologues. This Dracula would definitely “play in Peoria”. This revival may not make spines tingle, but it undoubtedly entertains.

Dracula is scheduled for a limited run at the Little Shubert Theatre in New York through March 13th.  Tickets can be ordered at telecharge.com.