A modern bite for ‘Drakula’

When Ana Valdes-Lim talks to you about Drakula, Tanghalang Pilipino’s third production in its 16th theater season, she talks about how the drama was adapted from Liz Lochhead’s version of the novel by Bram Stoker, how she had to cut the narrative down to 90 minutes to increase the drama’s tension, how she had to create the correct sound and look for the cast so that the production would be faithful to its Victorian setting, and how she intends to disturb – not shock – her audience.

And she agrees with the observation that any staging of the Dracula story will have to overcome one big problem: That people know how the story is going to end.

"It’s hard," she admits. "We need suspense and the audience knows what’s going to happen. That’s why I think that music is good, and the actors are singing, so we have a live chorus. We have a percussionist visible from the audience. We have the track into the audience so everything is immediate. We have a lot of actors coming in from the audience, because we’re trying to be ahead of the audience who knows the story very well. That’s kinda hard."

She does admit that she struggled with her reading of Bram Stoker’s novel because she got "scared" of it.

"I just told myself that this is an acting piece, that this will be fun to do," she says.

Drakula wasn’t even supposed to be part of TP’s lineup this season. Due to sudden changes in the booking of venues at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, a lot of the plans for the theater group’s 16th season had to be scrapped or rescheduled. Drakula was a last-minute substitute for another production.

"We felt that it’s going to be a good venue for our Actor’s Company," says TP associate artistic director Herbert Go. "I think it’s an acting piece and it’s a visual showcase."

Though there is blood and gore in this production of Drakula, Lim says she’s decided to focus on the sensual aspect and the love story in the play.

"I think he is evil," she says. "Yes, he’s a misfit, but I don’t think I’m giving him a lot of room for sympathy. We’re not really painting him as bad. It’s more his erotic side that is coming out."

The TP production follows closely the plot of Stoker’s novel. However, the entire look, while remaining faithful to the Victorian setting, has been updated for a more trendy look.

Dracula has been re-thought along the lines of a rock star, with Mick Jagger as inspiration.

"Dracula is not wearing a black cape. It’s denim and almost shredded," she says. " Our image is that of a rock star. His hair is not actually slicked back. It’s fiery, it’s wild."

She adds, "Our image of Dracula is that he is old and he slowly gets young as the story goes. There are also a lot of animal transformations, from a bat to a wolf."

Much of the erotic aspect of the play comes out in the costume design, created by noted fashion designer Danilo Franco.

Franco says he is quite familiar with the milieu of Drakula, since he had previously done research on the period for a production on the life of Jose Rizal. What he found interesting was researching and designing clothes for a scene set in an asylum.

"I needed to research only on additional detail for most of the costumes," he says.

While he has greater leeway to innovate and inject modern touches to the costumes, he has to remain faithful to the silhouette of the period.

In line with the nature of the drama, Franco’s clothes are mostly in dark colors.

"Ana wanted everything dark," he says. "That’s why most of the costumes are in black, brown, blue and gray. Only the white nightgowns add a light color to the total design."

Dracula has one basic costume – a full top coat, made of a patchwork of blue and black denim, velvet, leather and corduroy, worn over a brocade vest and a cotton shirt. Mina’s bustle gown in blue has medieval touches of laced-up sleeves and a chain-mail-inspired skirt that is stitched together by hand with ribbons.

Only Lucy’s sheer chiffon nightdress and silk Victorian-style dress and the vampire brides’ corset dresses tailored to look like lingerie are in white.

Valdes-Lim says the costumes are "a little bit period, but there’s a twist to them."

"We wanted to really appeal to a young audience and make them feel that they are part of the story," she explains. "There is nudity – the nudity was in the script – but we added more. We felt that we wanted to highlight the sensuality and the passion because it is a very erotic story."

She believes people will be going to the theater to see how a popular horror story like Dracula could be done on stage. Of course, they would expect to be frightened a bit.

"They expect to have a good time, a good disturbing time," she says. "But I think if it’s fast, if there’s blood, there’s nudity, there’s sex, they’re going to have a whole good time. We’re just trying to make them feel parang – whew – a Disney ride or something and not make it Disney. But talaga, it’s different because it is not a piece that’s going to change the world, ’di ba? It’s how we can make it equally memorable for them."

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Tanghalang Pilipino’s "Drakula" features Roeder Camañag in the title role, with Paolo O’Hara and Randy Villarama as Jonathan Harker, Tess Jamias as Mina, Mayen Estañero as Lucy, Kokoy Palma as Dr. Seward, Ian Lomongo as Renfield and Lambert de Jesus and Ony de Leon as Professor Van Helsing.

Set design is by Liz Fjelle-Batoctoy, costumes by Danilo Franco, music by Vince de Jesus, lighting design by Tisha Zarate and fight scenes choreographed by Jack Yabut. Ana Valdes-Lim directs.

Performances are on Sept. 6, 12-13 and 19-20 at 8 p.m. and on Sept. 7-8, 14-15 and 21-22 at 2:30 p.m. All shows are at the CCP Little Theater (Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino).

For inquiries and ticket reservations, call 832-3661, 832-1125 local 1620, the CCP Box Office and Ticketworld at 891-5690.