CURRENT PRODUCTION
Rewriting Dracula: From Pub Readings to Carfax Asylum
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A note from the playwright: David R. Roberts
Dracula was one of my earliest stage projects. Inspired by the Francis Ford-Coppola film, I read the novel and found most adaptations lacking—they weren’t creepy, gothic, or even fun. So I wrote my own, sticking closely to the book. It was read aloud above a London pub, and the feedback was mixed. My favourite? Just one word: “Ludicrous.”
After a failed musical version, I shelved it. It wasn’t bad—just unremarkable. Then came the idea: what if the entire story unfolded inside Carfax Asylum?
I’d always been drawn to Renfield, especially Tom Waits’ portrayal, and the dynamic between
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him and Dr Seward. That idea sat dormant for years until I joined the Edenbridge Players. Their enthusiasm reignited the spark, and I got to work.
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Writing flowed easily. I knew the novel well—only checked one bit of vampire lore. The rest came from memory. I kept the core of the story but added twists to surprise and engage a modern audience.
One key change was making Dracula truly villainous—less romantic, more detestable. (Andrew Tate was a minor influence there.) Changing Dr Seward to a woman added balance and deepened themes of kindness, abuse, and toxic masculinity.
My hope? To breathe new life into a story that, like Dracula himself, refuses to die. If audiences leave with a grin and a shiver, I’ve done my job. And if not… I’ll go hide in a crate of soil.
