Carrying wine bottles, waiters in crisp white shirts and black bow ties moved discreetly from table to table, replenishing glasses where necessary. No, not Claridges or the Dorchester, but a scene that is becoming familiar to habitués of the Sports Hall on the Drama Club evenings that have now become a regular fixture  and one of the highlights of the Autumn Term. If the audience sipped their wine a trifle more nervously than usual it was perhaps because they were awaiting a Transylvanian tour de force, Nick Warburton’s ‘Garlic and Lavender. ’ My sister, who has an aversion to blood, once fainted whilst reading Ann Rice’s ‘Interview with a Vampire’ on a tram in Seattle, and as the curtain rose  to reveal an imposing Gothic chair of the type that traditionally adorns Dracula’s dining-area I feared that I might be fated to follow the family tradition. Dim lights, sinister sounds and eerie music added to the atmosphere of unease, and when Clara ( Alice Berwick) and  Dolly (Amelia Richards) arrived with their suitcases at the gloomy Castle Drackenberg  one feared for these fine specimens of the English Rose, both played with considerable aplomb. As the more nervous of the two, Clara was particularly keen to leave as soon as possible and check into the nearest Romanian equivalent of a Cotswold country house hotel; however, Amelia’s Dolly was made of sterner stuff and in the ringing tones of one bred on the playing fields of Roedean or Benenden made it perfectly clear that minor eastern European noblemen held no terrors for her.  Nevertheless,  even a belle of St Trinian’s  would  have been perturbed by their would-be nemesis Count Drakenberg,  expertly played by James Fischer, who was perhaps somewhat shorter than the average vampire, but  had a chilling, demoniac laugh that contrasted nicely with the hospitable façade that he presented to his intended victims. The Count was assisted by Murk (Tom Fisher) who, in addition to providing Igorish butlering skills, added a highly effective comic dimension. Looming over his master, leering at the guests and limping ostentatiously, Tom gave a wonderful performance.  Less certain in their loyalties were the Count ‘s  factotum Boris (Teddy Clifton) and his world-weary wife Trudi (Emily Joice), whose aggrieved voice, and hands on hips posture counterpointed Boris’s busy scheming. Both did excellent jobs as the bickering married couple.

 

 

 

 

Hot on the trail of the nefarious Count was Dr Lutz, energetically played by Vlad Benn, who unlike the eponymous Impaler, believed by some historians to be linked to vampire legends, was on the side of the angels. The supernatural life of the castle was also complicated by the presence of the undead Emmanuelle (Molly Mason) who successfully worsted Boris in a gripping scene.

 

  
 
Outside the castle walls, the peasantry, in time-honoured fashion, were firmly ensconced in the local taverns.  A wide range of Norfolk accents, and possibly on or two from Somerset, were on offer from Susannah Willcox, Octavia Townsend, Dicken Stanton, Tilly Fleming (with a splendid shock of blonde hair), Alexandra Wallitt, Laura Batt, Will Faye and Dominic Nicholson. They did a splendid job of suggesting the sullen lower orders soaking their grudges in wine and treating outsiders with laconic disdain.  Equally unhelpful were the landlords Herr Kronjarg (Jamie Farnell) and Herr Jargron (Alasdair Kilpatrick).  Both gave good performances and Alasdair was especially sprightly as the sort of landlord who is so disagreeable and opinionated that his clientele come partly to watch the show. 

 

  

 

 

This production, once again expertly produced by Tim and Julie Morton, held the audience’s attention throughout and provided a memorable evening’s entertainment. As ever the scenery (Mike Woodhouse), lighting (James Ashcroft), costumes (Sue Warren) sound (Andy Farnell) and make-up (Madame Allenby and her team of helpers) were all of a superlative standard. 
 

C.E.H.W.