Cynthia Erivo to star in solo West End premiere of Dracula, playing all 23 roles
Award-winning British actor Cynthia Erivo is returning to the London stage for the first time in nearly a decade, starring in the UK premiere of Sydney Theatre Company’s acclaimed adaptation of Dracula. The production, adapted and directed by Tony Award-nominated Kip Williams, will open at the Noël Coward Theatre in February 2026.
Erivo, who has won Tony, Grammy and Emmy awards and is a three-time Oscar nominee, will undertake the demanding task of performing all 23 characters in this innovative, solo reimagining of the classic gothic novel. Performances are scheduled to begin on 4th February 2026, with ticket details yet to be released. The production follows a successful 2024 run at Sydney Theatre Company, where Williams’s adaptation was first staged.
The one-actor format will see Erivo portray a range of characters, including Jonathan Harker, Mina Murray, Lucy Westenra, Van Helsing and Count Dracula. “Returning to the stage feels like a homecoming, one that I’ve been craving for a long time. To do so with a story as rich, complex, and haunting as Dracula offers a beautiful opportunity to explore character, myth and the heart of what makes us human,” Erivo said in a statement. “The prospect of doing this show scares me and I know it will be a huge challenge. This show will ask everything of me – and I’m ready to give it.”
Williams’s adaptation is described as a radical interpretation that explores the psychological conflict between fear and desire, blurring the lines between self and other. Williams said, “Our production expands upon Stoker’s exploration of the tension between fear and desire, offering a contemporary perspective on the vampire as a monster that lurks not beyond, but within.”
The production will reunite Williams with his creative team, including designer Marg Horwell, lighting designer Nick Schlieper, composer Clemence Williams, sound designer Jessica Dunn, video designer Craig Wilkinson and dramaturg Zahra Newman. Utilising a blend of live video, pre-recorded film and live performance, the show continues Williams’s exploration of cine-theatre, a hybrid theatrical form.
Erivo’s return to the stage comes after a period of significant success in film and television, including her recent performance as Elphaba in Universal Pictures’ Wicked, for which she received multiple award nominations. She is also due to release her second studio album, I Forgive You, and is currently involved in other film and television projects.
The West End run of Dracula marks the culmination of Williams’s gothic trilogy, following his adaptations of The Picture of Dorian Gray and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. The production is a collaboration between Sydney Theatre Company and Michael Cassel Group, continuing their partnership to bring Australian theatre to international audiences.
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Photo: Mark Seliger
Dracula is at Noël Coward Theatre from 4th February 2026. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.
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