The Transylvanian Clockworks

by Don Nigro

Mystery / 4m, 3f / Unit set / The author of Ravenscroft investigates the Dracula myth in a powerful, complex, darkly funny and utterly terrifying vampire play unlike any you have ever experienced. Set in London and Transylvania in 1888 the year of Jack the Ripper, it captures the erotic power and poetry of Stoker's novel while looking more deeply into the characters' souls to examine the sensual and frightening undercurrents of this captivating Victorian tale. Jonathan Harker has returned from Transylvania so profoundly disturbed that he is confined to Dr. Seward's mental hospital and Van Helsing has been called in to help unravel the mystery of Jonathan's dementia. Jonathan's version of events at Castle Dracula leads them into a horrifying nightmare involving the mysterious foreign gentleman who seems to be seducing the women in Jonathan's life. A complex labyrinth of fear, desire, violence and lurking evil spirals into a horrific and surprising conclusion. The Transylvania Clockworks is an elegant, original, subtle, poetic and exhilarating piece of Gothic theatre.

95 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

Reviews

[Brendan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This didn't really seem that interesting to me. Based on the author's comments at the end it is based on a lot of pop psychology that doesn't really hold true. I also generally hate retelling stories, but recasting the villains as the victims, and the heroes as the victims. If you want to play with that concept write it into an original story. Also, the specific out of script direction that the playwright had to give seemed clumsy. His necessary explanations on how this was meant to be played seemed to indicate a weakness in writing or storytelling.