18.39°C For the second week in a row, following the highly impressive Liberty Hall, audiences at the Mercury were treated to another big, bold LGBTQ+ musical that emphasises positivity and celebration. Count Dykula is a lone vampire, happy in her butch ways, feeding off victims she encounters behind the big Asda. But when Scare University opens nearby, with its teachings and beliefs on how to be a “correct” female vampire (clinging nightdresses, big boobs, wan features), she realises her way of otherness is under threat. Taking on the fake-boobed Dean Scarlet Fang, together with a band of unapproved monsters, what follows is a camp, funny, and slick mash-up of horror and High School Musical.
The show is performed energetically by a very talented cast, multi-rolling with ease, and their enjoyment quickly transfers to the audience. Rosanna Suppa is excellent as Count Dykula, really projecting her identity and spoofing the traditional vampire role perfectly. Eleanor Colville is very impressive in a multitude of roles, her Dean boobs truly mesmerising, and Robbie Taylor Hunt excels in his performance, particularly in the dual roles of zombie and ghost. There is excellent, almost show-stealing work from musician Meg Narongchai, sweetly performing various mirrors. Beneath all the extravaganza, there is a strong message about looking out for people who prey on your insecurities for their own purposes.
Airlock Theatre has gained a reputation for queer musicals; this is the third one they have created, and I welcome the positive messages they convey. However, it’s mostly surface-level; the show feels like a student revue, and too many gags are groaned at rather than laughed at. Forgive the pun, but the stakes are never high. That said, it delivers what it sets out to do, providing a very slick 70 minutes, particularly with fast costume changes. Given the howls of laughter, it really hits its target demographic! Long live the Count!
Paul T. Davies
