Dr Sorcha Ni Fhlainn Dramaturg for Dracula

Last Autumn, PRG member Dr Sorcha Ni Fhlainn served as a Dramaturgist for a feminist reinterpretation of Dracula at the Lyric, Hammersmith. In this adaptation of Stoker’s horror classic, Morgan Lloyd Malcolm (Emilia) and Director Emma Baggott (A Taste of Honey) retold the story from the perspective of Mina Harker, uncovering the female voices at the heart of the tale.

In an interview for the Manchester Centre for Gothic Studies Sorcha spoke about her experience working on this feminist adaptation and what she learnt from it, she said:

” It taught me that the process of reinterpreting such a well-known novel and play can be daunting for creative teams and actors, particularly when so many versions have become cemented in popular culture. This production side-stepped this by emphasising the female voice from the off-set, and transforming male power in the play into a force that binds — it is invisible and violent. As such, patriarchal control shines through in this version to remind us that what is not easily seen still has remarkable power that must be challenged! I also enjoyed affirming the freedom the actors wanted to explore as well-known characters, and reminding them of various other creative authors, filmmakers, and actors who have embraced the multitude of approaches. I wanted it to feel liberating for their work to join in this long tradition of Dracula on stage.”