Hollwood Fringe Review: A Haunting Revue

Above: Christopher Lee (Ari Litman-Weinberg) and Bela Lugosi (Morry Schorr) chat about playing the Count in “The Inheritance of Dracula” segment of A Haunting Revue.

A Haunting Revue is an anthology made by and for horror fans. Taking its cue from Rod Serlings ‘1970s show The Night Gallery, the play has a narrator introducing stories that mix drama, comedy, science fiction, and fantasy. In keeping with its source of inspiration, the play has a ’70s vibe; in a nice touch, the credits are projected on a screen, mimicking the opening of the TV show down to the music and font style.

The results should please older fans with a nostalgic fondness for an earlier era of horror; newbies may be entertained as well, though they will probably miss many of the cultural references.

Review: Three Macabre Tales

A Haunting Revue begins with “Birds of a Feather,” which is essentially a domestic drama about three siblings dividing up their inheritance – a matter of considerable dispute despite the clarity of their late mother’s wishes. The sci-fi twist is that the brother’s derogatory references to his sister as an alien, which originally seem like insults aimed at her odd mannerisms, turn out to be literally true. Unfortunately, this does not have a particularly strong impact on the story, which remains a tale of two siblings resentful of their adopted sister. It’s engaging and even amusing, but the resolution is based less on them working out their feelings than a convenient revelation that changes their perspective.

“The Inheritance of Dracula” offers an a-historical take on two actors who achieved fame playing the bloodthirsty Count on screen: Bela Lugosi (in the 1931 film Dracula) and Christopher Lee (in 1958’s Horror of Dracula). The two never met in real life, but here Lee pays an awkward visit on his aging predecessor, who is struggling with drug addiction and resentment over his fading fame. After some polite chit-chat, Lee admits his curiosity about Lugosi was based on a concern that following in the old actor’s footsteps might lead him to a similar end. Meanwhile, Lugosi, initially nonplussed by Lee’s unexpected arrival, eventually warms up to his guest, offering insight into the thrill of playing a monster who knows no boundaries but his own will. The segment ends with a surprisingly resonant passing of the mantel (or, more literally, donning the cape), underlined by an Easter Egg only fans will get: the segment begins with an excerpt from Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, the music cue that ran over the opening credits of Lugosi’s Dracula film; it ends with film composer James Bernard’s memorable Dracula theme, which accompanied Lee in most of his onscreen depictions of the Count.

The final segment is “La Mano del Mono,” an updating of W.W. Jacobs’ “The Monkey’s Paw,” the archetypal tale about being careful what you wish for: parents ask for a fortune; it arrives in the form of an insurance settlement for the death of their child; then they wish the child back to life, with horrifying results. The modernization adds domestic child abuse to the story, suggesting the mess the family makes of their wishes is not merely a matter of poor judgement than a sort of karmic retribution for their bad behavior. The adaptation also extends the story well past Jacobs’ ending, first with a deliberately comically Panglossian attempt by the father to find a silver lining in this dark cloud, then with a gruesome attempt by the mother to get more wishes in order to restore the family. The ending is a bit fuzzy because the family was so a mess to begin with, it’s hard to really want them restored; presumably, the “happy” conclusion is meant to be taken ironically.

Review: Conclusion

Considering its title, A Haunting Revue is overall a little short on haunted horror. Only “Mano del Mono” truly seeks to terrify. “Birds of a Feather” adds a sci-fi twist to a conventional story, and “Inheritance of Dracula” is about the impact the horror genre has on actors who make a career of it. Fortunately, the play delivers in other ways: “Birds of a Feather” has some good jokes among the sibling’s sniping. The strongest segment, “Inheritance of Dracula” not only imagines a conversation that classic horror fans wish had taken place; it also provides something more than fan service: musing on fame, mortality, and the cinematic immortality implicit in playing the undead Vampire King. Actors Arti Litman Weinberg and Morry Schorr initially seem miscast: the former is a bit stocky to play Lee, and the latter (in a move too common) plays Lugosi like an aging Jewish man. But whether or not they resemble their real-life counterparts, they generate a chemistry that brings the fictionalized characters to life, forging a bond that goes far beyond what they or the audience expected. (Just a thought: This episode probably could have stood on its own, possibly as a companion piece to Bela Lugosi Meets Edna St. Vincent Millay, which is also at this year’s Hollywood Fringe Fest).

Cast are enjoyable, and tech aspects are good; scenery changes are handled smoothly (though on the night we attended, the transition from “Inheritance of Dracula” to “Mano del Mono” went on so long it was not clear that the former had ended, denying the audience a chance to give the episode the applause it deserved).

In the end, we wish the stories had been tighter and the narrator’s introductions more intriguing. Nevertheless, we enjoyed the anthology format, and “The Inheritance of Dracula” was worth the price of admission. The Count is dead – long live the Count!

A Haunting Revue Photographs

Stephanie Feury Studio Theatre

Hollywood Fringe Venue #16: Stephanie Feury Studio Theatre

Line outside A HAUNTING REVIEW at Stephanie Feury Studio Theatre

Stage is set for three macabre tales in A HAUNTING REVUE.