
Dracula
Starring David Suchet and Tom Hiddleston
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Narrated by:
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David Suchet
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Tom Hiddleston
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By:
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Bram Stoker
About this listen
Tom Hiddleston (The Night Manager) stars as Jonathan Harker, with David Suchet (Poirot) as Dracula in Liz Lochhead's powerful BBC radio adaptation of the classic novel by Bram Stoker.
When solicitor Jonathan Harker sets off for Transylvania to sell the mysterious Count Dracula a Gothic mansion, his bride-to-be, Mina, begs him to stay - to no avail. But on arrival at Dracula's castle, deep in a black forest surrounded by wolves, Harker wishes he had listened to his fiancée. The Count is welcoming but unnerving and his castle oppressive. Plagued by nightmares, Harker soon longs to leave.
Back in Whitby, Mina is increasingly worried. She has heard nothing from Jonathan, and now her sister, Lucy - newly engaged to Harker's friend, Dr Seward - is becoming pale and thin. In Seward's lunatic asylum in London, a madman named Renfield babbles about his master, who is coming. And as a midnight storm rages, a black ship heads towards the English coast....
Acclaimed poet and playwright Liz Lochhead's adaptation was first performed onstage in 1985, and this thrilling radio drama was broadcast on the World Service in 2006. Suspenseful, chilling and suffused with dark eroticism, it retains all the eerie dread of Stoker's infamous horror novel.
Duration: 2 hours approx.
©2016 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2016 BBC Studios Distribution LtdAfter listening to three productions of Dracula this week it is surprising how different they are compared with each other. All were enjoyable and each had their faults/ positives; though if you wish to listen to a more faithful telling of Dracula I would suggest the Mark Gatiss version (Big Finish Productions).
David Suchet as Dracula, BBC Radio 2006 (1hr 54mins)
This is a radio adaptation of Liz Lochhead’s stage play and was the last of the Dracula dramatisation I listened to. There’s more focus on the female characters than Bram Stoker’s original tale and the only one to mention menstruation.
Overall it was nice to be given a different approach to the story, but it was far too abridged. Believe the main problem is this is an adaptation of a stage play, so in actual fact an adaptation of an adaptation. Lots of the story has either been changed/absent and where was our young American Quincey Morris.
Lastly the I’ve got to mention the end, Dracula’s demise. The king of vampire’s final moments should be a dramatic climax, but it’s more forgettable fizzle than loud ka-boom.
The other productions I listened to were:
Frederick Jaeger as Dracula, BBC Radio 1994 (3hrs 19mins)
Mark Gatiss as Dracula, Big Finish productions 2016 (3hrs 15mins)
David Suchet as Dracula, BBC Radio 2006
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Amazing
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Not very good
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Unfortunately for us Lockhead is a hack and the writing betrays her desperate need to make Dracula her own. If you are looking for a faithful adaptations, this ain't it, Chief. After so many years of adaptations that may not be a surprise... but this is particularly awful.
The story seems to begin at a time before Johnathan makes his famous trip to Transylvania. All the hurry and gothic majesty is eaten by kitchen sink drama between sisters Mina and Lucy. Yes, sisters! One of many odd changes to the story, we receive more Renfield than anyone would ever need and a beach holiday before the actual action starts.
To quote one of my favourite literary Youtubers "wasn't this story meant to have vampires in it?" It takes a while before we meet Suchet but my gosh if our crime stopping lord and secondary story saviour doesn't make up for it.
Hamming on first entry like he enjoys drinking scenery rather than virgin maids, Suchet just goes for it. Matched with Hiddleston's excellent Harker, a listener finally gets what they were hoping for. Two stage and screen greats enjoying a battle of emotion. Stay in Dracula's beautiful castle. Let Suchet's moments of linguistic charm tingle your senses and let Hiddleston's perfect casting of a gentlemanly Harker entertain you, then press the skip button at your convenience.
Dracula, it ain't. Skip to what you came for ;)
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Captivating performance
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Beautifully produced and completely unnecesary.
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perfect performance
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Too short
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Atmospheric read
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Good
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