Dracula’s Guest at Upstairs at the Gatehouse Review
Artwork: Brother Wolf Productions
As the nights draw in and Halloween creeps closer, Brother Wolf Productions has presented Dracula’s Guest for one night only at Upstairs at the Gatehouse. This name is a red herring as although we see Dracula on stage in full noble glory, his guest is an unwilling prisoner by the name of Renfield.
Dracula and Halloween are somewhat synonymous with gothic literature and after publication in 1897, it has remained in publication ever since. This two-man production sees Dracula (James Hyland) and a chartered surveyor named Renfield (Ashton Spear) having dinner in Dracula’s castle in Transylvania. The staging is sparse; a dinner table, two chairs and a rotting pig’s head for dinner set the scene, and the attention is focused fully onto the spiralling discussions of the two characters. Mercurial and a sinister force to be reckoned with, Dracula is enjoying taunting Renfield with rotten meat over the course of the evening and uses his impressive physicality and twisting words to drive his guest to the point of insanity. Hyland oozes sophisticated terror as Dracula and is an impressively restrained and calculating predator. Spear is brilliant as Renfield, showcasing the tormented soul well and although initially defiant and human, descends slowly into tortured madness. There are plenty of twists and turns and although it looks like Dracula always wins in this tale of revenge, power and the impact of colonialism, there are also twists that show Renfield has a strength and power of his own. I was thoroughly impressed by the vivid and realistic chemistry between the two actors on stage.
This is the third show I have seen performed by James Hyland and a Brother Wolf production. Each time Hyland impressively raises the bar of what is possible in modern theatre. His attention to detail is immaculate and the story is impressively researched so that its themes, nuances and vividly gothic ideals are brought into incredible life on stage. The plot is not an exact copy of Stoker’s infamous novel but a reimagining of the original chapters and the deleted initial chapter from earlier drafts. This works well to keep the audience frozen in anticipation and unsure where the story will lead, although you will have guesses whizzing through your mind. This story also perfectly encapsulates the creeping, bone chilling horror that is Dracula in the original novel as opposed to softened adaptations which have filled our screens for the last century. Hyland is a genius with adapting classic literature for the stage in vivid and immersive tales which leave shivers down your spine whilst desperately wanting more.
The show is 60 minutes long, but the pace is fast and powerful throughout, expertly building the tension and unease and mounting to the final crescendo in an impressive performance. Chris Warner’s musical melody is simple but entirely mournful and incredibly captivating in its use in the story. This is a production for adults only due to the nature of props on stage and the discussions that occur throughout. I would not suggest this production if you are squeamish with blood or insects as the finale is disturbing and not pleasant if you are not good with physical horror. But, if you enjoy horror and don’t mind gore and viciousness then this is the perfect show for these bitter Autumnal nights. It’s a haunting story that will set you perfectly in the mood for Halloween, one that showcases the sinister and vicious character of Dracula perfectly
Trigger warnings: Props showing blood, use of blood on stage, maggots on stage.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Written by Cathie for Theatre and Tonic, October 2026.