London’s Lyric Hammersmith Theatre has unveiled casting for its upcoming production of “Dracula,” a new adaptation of Bram Stoker’s horror classic.
The adaptation comes from playwright Morgan Lloyd Malcolm (“Emilia,” “The Wasp”) and will be directed by Emma Baggott (“A Taste of Honey”). The production aims to uncover the female voices at the heart of the tale, with the story told through the perspective of Mina Harker as the sole survivor of the tragic events. The only survivor of the tragic events chronicled in the famous letters, Mina recounts her version of Dracula’s journey from Transylvania to London. Alongside trusted allies, and in memory of her beloved friend Lucy, they scramble to piece together the truth of his monstrous desires.
The production will star Mei Mac (“My Neighbour Totoro”) as Lucy, Jack Myers (“Say Nothing,” “Masters of the Air”) as Jonathan, and Umi Myers (“Dope Girls,” “The Mirror and the Light”) as Mina. Rounding out the cast are Phoebe Naughton (“The Comedy of Errors,” “The Snow Queen”) as Van Helsing/Ensemble, Macy Seelochan (“As You Like It,” “Shadow and Bone”) as Jo/Ensemble, and B Terry (“Cabaret”) as Renfield/Ensemble.
“There is a timeless obsession with Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula’ which has been so exciting to dig into so far and I can’t wait to work with Emma and our incredible cast and team to bring it to the stage,” said Malcolm. “Horror has long been a genre I’ve loved and to be able to explore this classic story within the context of the scary times we’re living through has felt particularly important and exciting.”
Malcolm, who was commissioned by The Globe to write “Emilia” (which transferred to the West End in 2019 and won three Olivier awards), now runs theatre company Terrifying Women with Abi Zakarian, Sampira and Amanda Castro, producing horror plays written by women.
Baggott said: “We have formed a company of brilliant and resilient human beings that are all ready to take on Morgan Lloyd Malcom’s fearsome adaptation of ‘Dracula’ and confront the monsters of our times.”
The creative team includes Grace Smart as set and costume designer, Joshie Harriette as lighting designer, Adam Cork as composer and sound designer, Chi-San Howard as movement director, John Bulleid and Gareth Kalyan as illusion designers, and Bethan Clark as fight and intimacy director.
“I am so thrilled to be a part of this exciting new production of ‘Dracula,’” said Umi Myers. “Morgan Lloyd Malcom has injected a new life into this classic tale, which will excite (and frighten) new audiences as well as those who already love the horror genre.”
Rachel O’Riordan, artistic director of the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, positioned the production as part of the theater’s milestone year: “I’m delighted that this fresh adaptation of Bram Stoker’s classic is premiering on the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre stage this September. Our auditorium is a place for bold storytelling that delights and shocks, and we can’t wait to share it with audiences as part of our 130th birthday season.”
Casting is by Heather Basten CDG, with Louisa Smith as casting associate and Joyce Lulendo as casting assistant.
“Dracula” runs from Sept. 11 through Oct. 11.
