one4review | On 19, Aug 2026

A gothic fever dream, Dracula: Lucy’s Dream takes Bram Stoker’s tale and flips it 180 degrees, a choreographed, inhuman puppet show like no other, putting Lucy Westenra front and centre in a dark exploration of desire, sensual control and psychological trauma, with the novel becoming something much more twisted and troubling than was ever put to paper.

In a venue used primarily for conferences, French-Norwegian company Plexus Polaire and director Yngvild Aspeli have, with military precision, created the staging and lighting to set the mood in new and ingenious ways, using every inch of the large stage.

There is so much unity of elements on stage, it’s hard to know where to begin. The actors’ choreography is inch-perfect, dynamic and fascinating, while the puppetry is creative and packed with those “how did they do that?” moments. Lucy’s seduction by Dracula is almost a ballet, with multiple figures moving around her.

The highlight is Lucy’s outstanding bed sequences, while the inventive bloodletting is also beautiful and disturbing, with an ingenuity straight out of Dario Argento’s Suspiria.

Ane Marthe Sørlien Holen’s score is tonally right, too, keeping the haunting vibe yet adding a slight Radiohead Hail to the Thief aesthetic, bringing an extra layer to the already disquieting atmosphere.

The ingredients, conditions, and sheer craft that go into this phantasmagorical visual treat are a joy to watch and are rarely executed so well.

Make no mistake: this isn’t just a show; it is an event to be experienced.

Crucifix and garlic optional.

*****
Reviewed by Steve H

Lennox Theatre at Pleasance at EICC
6 – 29 Aug (not 19 or 26)
17:30