Happy Owl Productions presents a “theatrical extravaganza” called Dracula, which unfortunately lacks the bite that one was hoping for.
“A tale of love, loss and redemption,” a play called Dracula, put together by Happy Owl Productions and projected as a “theatrical extravaganza” was hosted at the iconic and illustrious Alhamra Arts Council in Lahore this weekend.
Whether through Bram Stoker or Francis Ford Coppola, we’re all familiar with the story of Dracula and that is precisely what is challenging for any new storyteller, who either has to accomplish a narrative that is different from what one has already seen or has to re-enact the story in a manner that justifies the magnitude of a character that has inspired a generation of fantasy literature. This is literature that is dedicated not just to gothic-lit fans but also to the fans who otherwise prefer something a bit more alive, pun intended. However, to our dismay, Happy Owl Productions’ interpretation of Dracula rode on blank versus, forced excitement, a haphazard script and chaotic choreography.
Starting with the cast, Daniyal Ayat - the main lead who courageously took on the Count - was the most important character and yet the biggest disappointment of the night. His ear shattering screaming was nothing short of unbearable. His portrayal of Dracula lacked the layers that were needed to justify the Count’s intensity and for most of the duration we felt like we were there to gawk at an actor who was, at the end of the day, just trying too hard to fill up a hollow shell wrapped in a velvet cape. Jahan Ara Chugtai, who played Mina, Dracula’s resurrected lover, was good for the first few scenes but then progressed to a breathless, inaudible actress that was on stage as a favour and nothing else.
Shah Fahad, Natalia Rashid Malik, Hassan Raza and Ghazi Abid were the shinning superstars of the night. It was evident that these cast members were cut from a different piece of cloth, which compelled one to think that perhaps the central roles should be allotted to better actors next time.
A production like Dracula would be incomplete without music and the choice of ballads was commendable such as ‘Come What May’, ‘Hey Jude’ and ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’ by the king himself. Unfortunately, none of them set in well, both vocally and musically, and ended up sounding like karaoke at a bar. Risham Faiz Bhutta is an extraordinary singer and could have done much better, that much we know.
Despite all these flaws, Dracula was a step towards bringing theatre back to life. It may not have been perfect, but it did bring back a sense of nostalgia of the good old days of Shah Sharabeel and Nida Butt Productions. Anyone who dabbles in the fine art of theatre should be applauded – it’s not easy for novice directors to manage a big production – but then it’s just as easy to get it wrong. Happy Owl Productions managed to attract people back into the theatre, which is a small feat in itself. They just need to work harder on getting the execution right next time.
