A first look at Cynthia Erivo in Sydney Theatre Company’s acclaimed production of DRACULA has been revealed. The classic story has been adapted and directed for the stage by visionary theatre-maker Kip Williams.
DRACULA begins previews at Noël Coward Theatre, a Delfont Mackintosh Theatre, tonight with an opening night set for Tuesday 17 February. The production will play for 16 weeks until Saturday 30 May 2026.
Tickets are available at www.draculawestend.com.
Cynthia Erivo MBE, celebrated Tony®, Grammy® and Emmy® Award-winner and three-time Oscar nominee returns to the stage for the first time in nearly a decade for the production, starring in this bold, one-actor reimagining of Bram Stoker’s classic gothic novel.
Her return to the stage marks a landmark moment in contemporary theatre: a rare opportunity for West End audiences to witness one of the world’s most extraordinary talents at the height of her powers, in a daring and intimate performance unlike anything she has undertaken before.
In this radical interpretation, Erivo embodies all twenty-three characters in Stoker’s iconic tale — from the naïve solicitor Jonathan Harker and his fiancée Mina Murray to confidante Lucy Westenra, her suitors, and the formidable vampire hunter Van Helsing — as well as the infamous Count Dracula themself.
Erivo recently drew international acclaim for her performance as Elphaba in Universal Pictures’ Wicked, her work recognised with a series of major award nominations, including an Academy Award® nomination for Best Actress, a Golden Globe® nomination, a BAFTA® nomination, and recognition from the Screen Actors Guild Awards® and Critics’ Choice Awards. Most recently she won a Grammy® Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for Defying Gravity along with Ariana Grande. In 2025 she released her second studio album, ‘I Forgive You’, and book ‘Simply More’. Erivo’s return to the stage marks the next thrilling chapter in an extraordinary period of career success.
DRACULA represents the final and most ambitious production in Tony Award® nominated director Kip Williams’ gothic trilogy, whose productions have redefined the canon on both Broadway and the West End. The production follows on from his genre-defining adaptations of the 6-time Tony Award® nominated The Picture of Dorian Gray (which enjoyed triumphant seasons in both the West End and on Broadway) and the award-winning Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.
In his adaptation, Williams delves into the enduring metaphorical power of DRACULA, crafting a bold retelling that reorients the narrative around a psychological battle between fear and desire. Through a transformative solo performance, the production blurs the boundaries between self and other, suggesting that the monster is perhaps not external, but something that stirs within. First staged by Sydney Theatre Company in 2024, DRACULA captivated audiences with its startingly original reimagining of Stoker’s iconic vampire tale, offering a haunting meditation on the aspects of ourselves we fear, desire, and deny.
The production reunites Williams with his award-winning creative team, including Olivier Award-winning designer Marg Horwell, lighting designer Nick Schlieper, composer Clemence Williams and joined by sound designer Jessica Dunn, video designer Craig Wilkinson and dramaturg Zahra Newman. Fusing live video, pre-recorded film, and virtuosic live performance, DRACULA continues Williams’ ground-breaking exploration of ‘cine-theatre’, a hybrid form reshaping the theatrical landscape.
DRACULA’s London premiere season continues a landmark collaboration between Sydney Theatre Company and Michael Cassel Group, created to bring STC’s innovative works to international audiences.
