A Campy and Hilarious Reimagining of Dracula
Reviewed by Sandi Laird
DRACULA: A Comedy of Terrors is a modern and fresh take on Bram Stoker’s gothic classic. Playwrights Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen reimagined the dark horror as mad cap comedy led by a seductive, handsome, narcissistic Dracula. It’s a whirlwind of characters with cast members playing multiple roles. It is confusing, enticing, titillating and flat out hilarious. Director Krista Jackson has teased out campy performances from the talented cast. Jesse Gervais is Count Dracula in a cheeky, charming, and dramatic performance. When he is on stage, all eyes are upon him. He elicits laughs and cheers from the audience. It is not just a performance on stage, he draws us in and we are as much in thrall with the seductive Count, as the characters of the play. Gervais was Ambrose Small himself in the 2022-23 production of Grand Ghosts. And the butler in the 2023-24 season’s Clue – you may recall he took forever to die in that role. It seems Gervais was born to die on the Grand stage in theatrical, scene-stealing style!
Nora McLellan is memorable as Dr. Westfeldt, Renfield and others. Her transition from the calm, serious doctor to the completely wacko Renfield will make your head spin. You may know McLellan from CBC’s Son of a Critch. Constant Bernard, making his debut at the Grand, as Mina Westfield and Dr. Van Helsing is over-the-top and incredibly entertaining. Honourable mention to Reena Jolly as the beautiful Lucy and kleptomaniac Kitty, and Nathan Howe as Lucy’s spineless fiancé Jonathan, a real estate agent, who brings Dracula to Westfeldt manor.
The telling of this chaotic tale brings Monty Python and Mel Brooks to mind. Director Jackson references this style as an inspiration. “This play is a whirlwind chase where a multitude of characters – played by 5 actors with a frenzy of costume changes – discover a vampire in their midst and have to save themselves before time runs out… It’s in the style of Mel Brooks, Monty Python and British Pantos…” reveals Jackson.
The characters interact with the audience throughout the play. Dracula encourages the audience to clap for him and howl like wolves. The performers make funny references to area locales including the Convent Garden Market, Grand Bend and Stratford. My favourite quip was a reference to a previous Grand production – Waitress. “Sugar, butter, flour.” These nods drew the audience into the action. We were in on the secret not just observers. This Dracula is not a cartoon character for kids, but the risqué and hilarious story is all for fun.
Halloween has come to the Grand this year. Dracula is a howling good time!
DRACULA: A Comedy of Terrors continues at the Grand Theatre, Spriet Stage, London until November 7, 2026. Tickets are available at the Grand box office at 519-672-8800 or 1-800-265-1593 or visit www.grandtheatre.com
Photo: Jess Gervais as Dracula. Photo by Mai Tilson
DRACULA: A Comedy of Terrors
Playwrights – Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen
Director – Krista Jackson
Set Designer – Joshua Quinlan
Costume Designer – Joseph Abetria
Lighting Designer – Leigh Ann Vardy
Sound Designer & Composer – John Gzowski
Movement Director – Cameron Carver
Associate Director – Keith Fernandez
Fight & Intimacy Director – Jennifer Dzialoszynski
Dialect Coach – Jane Gooderham
Stage Manager – Jordan Guetter
Performers – Constant Bernard, Jesse Gervais, Nathan Howe, Reena Jolly and Nora McLellan
Grand Theatre, Spriet Stage, 471 Richmond Street, London
October 20 to November 7, 2026
Reviewed by Sandi Laird