Johnny Moreno and James Aaron Oh Photo by Jessica Palopoli

As the audience assembles, Renfield is on stage, dressed in what seems like sackcloth, scrabbling the words of a variation on the Lord's Prayer in chalk on what is suggested as her cell wall in the asylum where she is imprisoned. All the while, Ross alternates between manic (yet contained) energy and middle-distance stares as she seems to contemplate her next task.

The play begins with Jonathan Harker (James Aaron Oh) packing his bags for a trip to Romania, where he, a lawyer, has been engaged by Count Dracula to arrange the purchase of property in London. Leaving behind his pregnant wife Mina (Sharon Shao), Harker soon arrives on the doorstep of the Count, who absolutely drips with an engaging mix of charm and malice. He regularly invades the personal space of Harker, coming ever so close to him, booping on his nose as one would a toddler. The first indication that something otherworldly is up with the Count happens when he effortlessly shoulders the heavy travel trunk which Harker has struggled mightily with only moments before.

The Count is attended by two "wives," Drusilla (Elizabeth Cowperthwaite) and Marilla (Charise Loriaux); dressed in white lacy teddies and black knee-high boots, they writhe and gambol across the stage, always watching Harker as he tries to make sense of his odd surroundings. (Bridgette Loriaux does great work as the show's movement director.) Soon enough, Count Dracula bites Harker, infecting him with a small dose of vampirism and the story shifts back to England.

In England, Mina has been staying with an old friend, Lucy Westenra (Nemma Adeni), who happens to be betrothed to Dr. George Seward (Josh Schell), the head of the asylum where Renfield is imprisoned. When Renfield calls out to his "daddy," the Count soon appears to make his mischief in Britain.

Enter Doctor Von Helsing, and the comedic aspects of the show kick into gear, as Von Helsing is dressed rather like a badass gunslinger of the Old West, though her holsters are filled with wooden stakes rather than six-shooters. "There are monsters in this world, and someone must stand against them. Why not us?," she says, recruiting Mina and Dr. Seward for her battle against the predator Dracula.

The show practically reeks of a baroque/goth sensibility, but with an undercurrent of humor that reflects the rather lighthearted approach Hamill has taken with her text. Since the program references a "blood specialist," one can count on a fair bit of sanguinity, though it's never dripping down the walls. Still, if the sight of blood unnerves you, this is one you might want to give a pass to.

The actors are clearly enjoying the opportunity to embrace these gothic characters, though only Moreno seems to overplay his role–but given the nature of the Count's character, overplaying seems perfect for this occasion. Ross gets the juiciest role of the show and she laps up every moment like a kitten to cream. (Though one of the creepiest moments comes when Renfield asks Dr. Seward for a kitten and then describes how she intends to treat it–which goes from "aww" to "eww" in only a few words.)

Ultimately, though I could appreciate both the lighter and darker aspects of Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really, I think I'd rather it choose a lane.

Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really runs through June 27, 2026, at San Francisco Playhouse, 450 Post Street, San Francisco CA. Performances are Tuesdays-Thursdays at 7:00pm, Wednesdays at 2:00pm and 7:00pm, Fridays at 8:00pm, Saturdays at 3:00pm and 8:00pm, and Sundays at 2:00pm. Tickets are $52-$145. For tickets and information, please visit www.sfplayhouse.org or call the box office at 415-677-9596.