Dracapella by Dan Patterson & Jez Bond. Park 200, 13 Clifton Terrace, Finsbury Park, London N4 until 17 January 2026, 5☆☆☆☆☆. Review: William Russell.

Photo Credit: Craig Sugden.

Dracapella by Dan Patterson & Jez Bond. Park 200, 13 Clifton Terrace, Finsbury Park, London N4 until 17 January 2026, 5☆☆☆☆☆.

Review: William Russell.

“The best Christmas show in town.”

Bram Stoker's spirit may well haunt this theatre if it ever should chance to see this splendid Christmas cracker of a show devised by Patterson & Bond about what happens when Count Dracula descends on Whitby seeking the woman he believes is his long lost love and encounters mayhem, madness, puns, jokes, old, new and occasionally filthy plus a man who performs sound effects on a microphone. He also ends up with a headless woman but no stake through the heart. It is not a pantomime, nor is it that horrid confection, an adult pantomime, but it is a show for the holidays which you will leave having had a night out like no other. Jonathan Harker, played by Stephen Ashfield, goes to visit Castle Dracula taking with him a portrait of his true love Mina, played by Lorna West, who, surprise, surprise turns out to be the spitting image of Dracula's long-lost love. Ashfield's Harker is wonderfully wet, while Mina as played by Lorna West is as tough a Victorian woman as could be who has no truck with predatory bats. All sorts of confusion arise involving her friend Lucy, played by Keala Settle as a full on diva, messed up by the other characters and whenever a sound effect is required enhanced by the beatbox skills of UK Champion Alibi Beatbox.  It really is a confection to dazzle in its sheer audacity and shameless silliness. The actors rise to every demand placed upon them even when it comes to losing a head or tossing one into the wings – a feat which nearly decapitated a member of the audience too. Through it all strides Ako Mitchell as a Dracula trying to maintain his reputation for being a lady killer. It could be the best Christmas show in town. Actually, there is no could about it. It is.

Cast

Ako Mitchell – Dracula

Stephen Ashfield – Harker

Monique Ashe-Palmer – Pustula

Ciaran Dowd – Sinister, Van Helsing

Alexander Belgarion Hackett- ABH Beatbox

Lorna Want – Mina

Keala Settle – Lucy

Philip Pope – Holmwood, Seward

Creatives

Director – Jez Bond

Musical Director – Ian Oakley

Lighting Designer – Simisola Majekodunmi

Sound Designer – Niamnh Gaffney for Autograph

Costume Supervisor – Sian Clare

Movement Directors – Patrice Bowler, Giaele Mattioli