REVIEW: DRACULA'S GUEST @ UPSTAIRS AT THE GATEHOUSE

🎭 Dracula's Guest

📍 Upstairs at the Gatehouse, 1 North Road, Highgate Village, London, N6 4BD

🗓 Tuesday 13th October 2026

⭐️ 5 Stars

MASTERFUL, MENACING, AND UTTERLY UNMISSABLE

As I made my way up the hill from Highgate station earlier this week, there was something in the air. Was it the thought of seeing a play about Dracula close to Halloween? Was it perhaps seeing a play about a vampire in an area of London which boasts its very own legendary bloodsucker? Or could it have simply been the crisp autumnal breeze?

The fact is, it was none of these things. It was rather the tingling anticipation of seeing another piece of theatre from James Hyland and Brother Wolf Productions.

It's no secret how much I have loved their previous works. In fact, Hyland was crowned Actor of the Year in Pink Prince Theatre's 2025 Review of the Year, so it's safe to say that my expectations were sky-high. I know just how much research Hyland puts into his adaptations, and DRACULA'S GUEST is clearly no exception to this rule.

As the audience entered the auditorium, we were greeted by a man sitting at a table holding his head in his hands, as an eerie tune played repeatedly. Side note - Chris Warner has created a wonderful soundscape here. Already the wonder and anticipation began to grow. As the lights went down, Hyland, in the role of Dracula, appeared from the darkness. And so it began.

Drawing from Bram Stoker’s deleted first chapter and earlier drafts, this adaptation subverts expectations by trapping us inside a claustrophobic, psychological pressure cooker. We are thrust into an isolated setting where Count Dracula plays a sickening game of cat-and-mouse with his captive visitor Renfield. What is so remarkable is how Hyland’s staging manages to induce such a suffocating, trapped feeling. Upstairs at the Gatehouse is, by fringe standards, a relatively large pub theatre, yet the sheer intensity of the performances forces the walls to close in on you. The emptiness of the surrounding stage doesn't offer breathing room. Instead, it isolates the characters in a void, creating a dense, heavy atmosphere that makes you feel as though you are locked in the room right alongside them.

Instead of a sprawling gothic travelogue, the narrative focuses entirely on the torturous hospitality Dracula inflicts upon his guest. It is a slow-burn descent into madness that examines the very nature of isolation and torment, keeping the audience on a knife-edge as the power dynamics shift and warp without ever revealing the final horror until it is far too late.

One of the great things about watching a reimagined version of a classic is that you never quite know what the characters are going to be like or how the story is going to play out. Here, Renfield is a chartered surveyor, and seemingly quite a sane man - to begin with at least! Instead of the fly-eating lunatic locked in an asylum from the outset of Stoker’s novel, this Renfield is an educated, professional man who has arrived on legitimate business. Watching his polished exterior systematically unravel is nothing short of harrowing. Ashton Spear is phenomenal as Renfield, charting a devastating course from polite, baseline rationality to absolute, primal degradation. Spear commits so completely to the visceral decay of his character's mind that you can practically feel the panic vibrating off him.

Hyland's Dracula, unlike in other recent adaptations I've seen, is not big or intimidating in stature. Instead, all of his power lies in his words. The way he plays with and manipulates his victim is pure poetry in motion. The rhythm of Hyland’s writing and delivery has a flow that had me clinging to every word. He is calm, yet calculated, and is simply terrifying. There is an icy, aristocratic stillness to his presence that commands the entire room. He doesn't need to shout or bare his fangs to dominate the space because his predatory intellect does all the heavy lifting for him. Utter genius.

The physicality displayed by both actors is magnificent. There is an undeniable kinship between the two, which allows an intimacy and psychosexual relationship that is unparalleled. It's rare to see two performers not only so at ease with each other, but also giving themselves over completely to their characters. This is bona fide acting at its very best.

The set is sparse, but no more is needed. With writing and performances this good, there is no need to clutter the stage. The lighting design, although simplistic, works exceptionally well. Hyland's direction is not afraid of the darkness, pushing characters into the low-lit corners, adding emphasis to their words.

Word of warning though - the ending is quite gruesome and horrifying, so be prepared! If you are at all squeamish then you're in for a rough ride, but believe me when I say, it's totally worth it. The way the final scene is portrayed shows just how much can be done in fringe theatre, without the big budgets, but instead with pure imagination. It leaves a striking, bloody image burnt into your retinas that you won't soon forget.

This is yet another incredible piece of theatre from a hugely talented company. Having seen a number of their productions, I can honestly say that they always deliver a fantastic theatrical experience. CLICK HERE to head to Brother Wolf's website to learn more about their shows, and to check dates for upcoming performances.

Neill Kovacic-Clarke

All views are my own and I pride myself on being honest, fair and free from influence. Theatre is subjective and it is important to remember that all views expressed are just those of one person.

My ticket for this performance of Dracula's Guest was gifted by Brother Wolf, who invited me to watch the show in exchange for my honest review. The fact that my ticket was gifted played no part in the content of my review or the star rating given.

CAST:

Ashton Spear as Renfield; James Hyland as Dracula

CREATIVES:

Writer and Director - James Hyland; Music - Chris Warner

RUNNING TIME (approx):

1 hour, with no interval

CONTENT WARNINGS:

Violence and gore; Visceral and visually distressing props; Disturbing actions; Psychological warfare; Blood imagery; Mature undercurrents

AGE GUIDELINE:

12+

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