Until November 14, Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors is serving up loads of laughs at The Arts Club Lindsay Family Stage at Granville Island. Writers Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen have created a riotous take on the ancient vampire folklore that will leave you sore from laughter and smiles – and perhaps, a bat bite? You may think you know Bram Stoker’s centuries-old epic tale and it’s various incarnations through the decades, you have never seen it told like this!
Director Josh Epstein (The Play That Goes Wrong) has crafted a camp-classic, spoof on the gothic horror. Instead Dracula, played by the superb Synthia Yusuf who with choreography by Nicol Spinola, vamps it up as the Techno-Goth prince of darkness, dressed to the (ca)nines by Donnie Tejani.
While Yousef stays in character as the dashing Dracula, the four other cast members do double, triple and quadruple duty playing the rest of the population.
set design by Alaia Hamer; costume design by Donnie Tejani…
…lighting design by Gerald King…
…all photography by Moonrider Productions for the Arts Club Theatre Company
The always energetic Kate Besworth has boundless energy as the daring Lucy Westfield, as well as Kitty the kleptomaniac maid, and the cautious Carriage Driver.  If that isn’t enough to do, Besworth also serves as Dance Captain.
Steffanie Davis is a study in comedic character timing as she dashes between the misogynistic Dr. Westfeldt and pathological Renfield – sometimes both on stage at the same time – but not before serving as an ill-fated ships’ Captain, as well as Fight Captain.
Jeff Meadows lends his stature to a statuesque but plain Mina Westfield – Lucy’s unlucky in love sister – as well, Meadows brings Dr Jean Van Helsing’s knowledge to the house of haunts.
Perhaps the widest character range from serious to slapstick, belongs to Vincent Tong as Lucy’s beloved but cautious suitor, Jonathan Harker, in addition to various other suitors for Mina & Lucy, as well as the aforementioned ships’ Bosun plus a drunken Gravedigger.
Alaia Hamer‘s set takes us from the dark and gloomy confines of Dracula’s Transylvanian Castle to the Victorian country houses of Northern England. Dialect Coach Alana Hawley Purvis helps the audience distinguish the diverse settings and characters via the actors’ accents while Fight Director Jonathan Hawley Purvis choreographs the action sequences in this iconic battle of good over evil.
Never taking the drama too seriously but ensuring the audience has serious fun, Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors delivers comedy galore from start to finish. Like any hearty dish you’ll want to sink your teeth into this fiendishly good time, and go back for second helpings! Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors runs until November 14, 2026 at The Arts Club Lindsay Family Stage at Granville Island, 1585 Johnston Street. Visit artsclub.com for tickets and showtimes including special performances: Talkback Tuesday, November 10 and VocalEye, November 10 & November 13.