Theatre review: Jonathan Harker and Dracula

A one man play is an enormously difficult feat to pull off, but I think that Gerard McCarthy (Hollyoaks, The Fall, Vikings) can rest easy tonight (possibly in a coffin) because with ‘Jonathan Harker and Dracula‘ that’s exactly what he’s done.  The stage is set with 3 massive screens, a chair, a chaise longue and a table all sitting on a red carpet.  These are our props for the evening and with the use of projection, video, surround sound, lighting, smoke and gunfire we are transported through the story of Bram Stokers Dracula, as told in the journals of those involved.  McCarthy plays multiple characters with many different accents – English, American, Scottish, Transylvanian all with relative ease.  The story is classic and although known to most still heralded gasps, and at times laughs, from the audience.   the backdrops transport us from the grand castles of Europe to the grimy streets of London town, dates pop up as they would in the books, to help us follow the time line and whose journal the current entry is from.  MacCarthy roams the stage like a man possesed at times puffing up and leaping around to portray the terrifying Count Dracula, at other times he shrivels down small and oppressed whilst portraying characters like Renfield.  The only other actors come in the form of the brides of Dracula who appear in pre-recorded segments on the screens as famous faces Kym Marsh (Coronation Street), Belfast’s Rachel Tucker (who recently starred in the West End’s Wicked) and Ballymoney girl, Jayne Wisener (Tim Burton’s Sweeney Todd) wriggle and seduce as they’re projected across the backdrop.

Even a slight technical hiccup at the start of act two doesn’t fluster McCarthy, as the screens turn blue and technical messages appear, he continues in true professional style. Thirty seconds later and the screens re-appear, the audience breathes a sigh of relief and the play proceeds.  I must confess that I enjoyed act two more than act one, as by that time I had a hold on who the characters where and could follow the fast and detailed action easier, hoping that our band of heroes would beat Dracula on the race from England to Castle Dracula.

This has been an ambitious production being put on by Ulster Theatre Company and Theatre At The Mill, but one that has paid off – with atmosphere and frights abound, Jonathan Harker & Dracula is not to be missed!