Cynthia Erivo to star in Australian-made production of Dracula

Kip Williams' global success continues, as his production of Dracula is transported to London starring Cynthia Erivo.
Cynthia Erivo will star in the London remount of Kip Williams' acclaimed production of Dracula. The photo depicts a Nigerian-English actor with closely cropped and bleached hair and eyebrows, gazing intensely into the camera. She wears a black polo-necked jumper and has a striking septum ring.

Sydney Theatre Company’s (STC) production of Dracula, co-produced with Michael Cassel Group and Kindred Partners, and directed by former-STC Artistic Director, recent Tony-nominee Kip Williams, is being transported to London’s West End.

The special one-woman show will star Cynthia Erivo (Oscar-nominated for her role in the film adaptation of Wicked) as Bram Stoker’s vampiric Count Dracula and 22 other characters from the 1897 novel, including the young lawyer Jonathan Harker and his fiancé Mina Murray, the book’s main female protagonist, as well as the Count’s nemesis Abraham Van Helsing and the vampire’s deranged lackey, Renfield.

The news comes just weeks after Williams’ previous one-woman adaptation of The Picture of Dorian Gray became history’s most Tony-nominated Australian production in the US after an equally lauded prior UK season, which saw which saw Australian actor Sarah Snook win the Olivier Award for best actress for her take on the 26 characters featured in Williams’ Wilde adaptation.

The UK production of Dracula follows in the footsteps of Sydney’s 2024 season, where Zahra Newman performed the titular role and as 22 other characters. The production utilised Williams’ ‘cine-theatre’ style used so successfully in Dorian Gray and its less successful follow-up production, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, utilising one actor in multiple roles along with an ingenious use of multimedia and cinematic techniques.

The London season of Dracula will take place at the Noël Coward Theatre for 16 weeks in 2026. Tickets are not currently available to be purchased.

David Burton is a writer from Meanjin, Brisbane. David also works as a playwright, director and author. He is the playwright of over 30 professionally produced plays. He holds a Doctorate in the Creative Industries.