Dracula (CSC) NYC Reviews and Tickets

80%

(149 Reviews)

Positive

89%

Mixed

10%

Negative

Members say

Clever, Entertaining, Great acting, Funny, Absorbing

About the Show

CSC presents Kate Hamill’s new, feminist adaptation of the classic horror tale. "Dracula" will be performed in repertory with CSC's new adaptation of "Frankenstein."

From the show:

Both terrifying and riotous, Kate Hamill’s Dracula confronts the sexism in Bram Stoker’s original work and subjugates it as a smart and disquieting feminist revenge fantasy. Kate’s signature style and postmodern wit upends this familiar tale of Victorian vampires and drives a stake through the heart of toxic masculinity.

Member Reviews (149)

Great acting, Great staging, Refreshing, Quirky, Clever

See it if Hamill doe tinkering treatment of the pop Gothic classic giving Mina/Lucy "teeth," as reminder that men don't own all the necks in the room.

Don't see it if Loony bin motif doesn't allow the brevity of what's at "stake" to settle, coming a-"cross" as farce undercutting what's otherwise intended.

Disappointing, Funny, Clever

See it if you want to see a different view of the tale Dracula. It's clever and sometimes funny and very campy.

Don't see it if you like the traditional story. This production has no real depth of the characters. I felt no fear as I usually do when watching this story Read more

Confusing, Fluffy

See it if you like old classic theater with a modern shake up

Don't see it if You are like me and have trouble comprehending old piece of theater Read more

Fun take on dracula

See it if You appreciate Kate Hamill and her theatre company

Don't see it if You want a serious show about vampires.

Feminist re-imagining, Stylish production, Long, Fun

See it if Distinctly Hamill enterprise w mix: broad humor, clever staging, contemp touches, creativity, artistic license, classic material. Enjoyable.

Don't see it if Dracula purist-here characters are reimagined w obvious feminist spin. 2 much repetition overall, & curtain-pulling, first thrilling, wears. Read more

Revelation, Vastly entertaining, Campy, Unexpected, Quirky

See it if appreciate camp & turning classic on its ear, acting/direction/writing walking fine line, thrust staging with inner above, like funny walks

Don't see it if can't tolerate thrust staging, need classic tales unadorned, need 2 hear every word, dislike Kate Hamill, dislike injection of feminism

Hamill's scary, funny take on the horror classic

See it if A gently feminist version with Mina and Lucy at the fore. Renfield and Van Helsing are women. The Count is a male chauvinist show-off.

Don't see it if Cleverly stylized staging and exaggerated acting make a satisfyingly creepy atmosphere. Amendt, Dukes, and Hamill herself are standouts.

Feminist, Campy, Great acting, Entertaining

See it if you want to see a wonderfully produced and written campy feminist version of Dracula

Don't see it if you need your Dracula to be a powerful misogynist who cannot be conquered by women. Or if you hate camp, no matter how well done. Read more

Critic Reviews (13)

"'Dracula’ and ‘Frankenstein’? Nothing to Be Scared Of: Classic Stage Company is running adaptations of two 19th-century horror classics in repertory. Don’t let that frighten you."
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4/5 Stars "An unabashed crowd-pleaser...Lapine expertly navigates the script's wild tonal shifts as the production bounces between humor and horror...All of the actors gamely sink their teeth into their parts, but this is the Van Helsing and Mina show, with Seward as their comic foil."
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"Horror Stories of Womanhood: 'Dracula,' 'Frankenstein,' and 'Anatomy of a Suicide'"
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"Marvelous Monster Mash: A timely spin on Stoker for the #MeToo era; a smartly condensed Shelley preserves its source material."
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"A Feminist 'Dracula' and a Folksy 'Frankenstein': Classic Stage Company offers two horror essentials, neither of which is very scary."
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"Kate Hamill's Clever Take On 'DRACULA' Bites Back At Toxic Masculinity"
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"It's too bad that Hamill couldn't find a way to embed her theme in the action of the play. Her lengthy, windy digressions on a well-worn subject constitute a worrying development for her as a writer."
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"Imposing a 'feminist revenge fantasy' on a property as tried and tired as 'Dracula' cannot justify its inclusion in Classic Stage Company's season. This is a slip-shod, bargain-basement production devoid of any serious stagecraft that squanders its cast's talent and its audience's time."
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"Hamill has transformed Dracula into a powerful and thought-provoking social statement about feminism. Fear not, though (well, just a little, maybe), Sarna Lapine's clever production still provides its traditional share of thrills and chills."
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"The sexism in the novel has been diluted by making this a feminist revenge fantasy. Turning Doctor Van Helsing, vampire hunter, and Renfield (under the sway of the vampire) into women changes the dynamic quite a bit giving the play a modern viewpoint."
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"The actors have fun, performing with just enough dryness to maintain a basic level of reality...Even with its up-to-date tics, thematic slings, and occasional laughs, however, Hamill's 'Dracula' runs out of blood before its nearly two and a half hours signal R.I.P."
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Score: 98%. "CSC's Production of 'Dracula' is a "must-see" production of 2020. It is a classic not so much reimagined as reconsidered for the #MeToo Movement and it is hilarious."
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"In Kate Hamill's adaption of Bram Stoker's 'Dracula' at Classic Stage Company, fighting against vampires becomes synonymous with fighting the patriarchy."
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