Research on Dracula

Dracula  - Research

Bram Stoker’s Dracula – What was he trying to say with this book? Any information about his life or the novel may help here.

Bram Stoker wrote Dracula to portray lust, temptation and sexuality in a way that also scares the audience, it was the scariest novel around  at the time and at an era of which death and afterlife were an interest, this era was known as the Victorian era.

Vampire Myths: Researched information on any aspects of the historical mythological origins and related data.

“Vampires sleep in coffins:   Source: This myth likely arose from gravediggers and passersby who observed vampires emerging from coffins and crypts. Fact: If a vampire did spend the night in a coffin, it probably had nothing to do with sleeping preference. In the old days, many bite victims were interred while still in a vampiric coma. The truth is, vampires will sleep wherever they feel safe”   “Garlic repels vampires Source: Most likely based on observation. To ward off vampires, garlic would be worn, hung in windows, or rubbed on chimneys and keyholes. Fact: Vampires have sensitive noses and can be momentarily driven off by pungent odors. However, this method of deterrence is unreliable and certainly won't work on”   “Crosses repel vampires & burn their flesh” “Source: Christian beliefs that vampires are demons and therefore enemies of God. During the Dark Ages, vampires were known to have been tortured by the church using superheated iron crosses to "burn the Holy Spirit into them" before execution. Fact: Unless heated as a torture device, or used as some kind of melee or throwing weapon, crosses have absolutely no effect on vampires. They have no trouble entering churches either.”

Antonin Artaud – What is the Theatre of Cruelty? Any ideas about how this could help us?

“The Theatre of Cruelty (French: Théâtre de la Cruauté) is a surrealist form of theatre theorised by Antonin Artaud in his book The Theatre and its Double. "Without an element of cruelty at the root of every spectacle," he writes, "the theatre is not possible. In our present state of degeneration it is through the skin that metaphysics must be made to re-enter our minds." By "cruelty," Artaud referred not to sadism or causing pain, but rather a violent, austere, physical determination to shatter the false reality that, he wrote, "lies like a shroud over ourperceptions."

Your character(s) in the play: Describe your character using information given in the script/ storyline. How would you describe your character? Provide a personal view about what you feel and think about your character.

My character in the play is Lucy, she is an “Innocent young girl” I use Innocent lightly as she portrays herself as innocent but she always saves  questionable things that I believe are to affect her sister as I feel her sister is quite reserved and perhaps “Prude”, while Lucy is very open with her sexuality, she is initially brought up by her older sister as she lost her parents, so in a sense Mena (Her sister) Probably resents Lucy for taking away her childhood, but also as Lucy is her younger sister, she treats Lucy as a child, hence Lucy’s rather child-like characteristics.

Style of Production Watch the 2 films  - Dracula (1931) – Nosferatu (1922) What can we learn and use in terms of: ·       Lighting ·       Costume ·       Staging, Set and Props ·       Costume and Make-Up ·       Acting Style

Both Dracula and Nosferatu are set around the same period of time, they are both incredibly different to that of the theatre of nowadays... for instance, the use of lighting and sound is different and now in the 21st century there has been new technology introduced   The acting style is different as it is just accepting Stanislavsky’s concepts. Therefore you can see the slow adaption in the films, along with this, actors are just getting used to sound and not having to use big facial expressions and gestures to show emotion as they can now speak.