Cynthia Erivo to star in West End premiere of Sydney Theatre Company's DRACULA
Producers Michael Cassel and Adam Kenwright today announced that Sydney Theatre Company's acclaimed production of Dracula, adapted and directed by visionary theatre-maker Kip Williams, will premiere at London's prestigious Noël Coward Theatre in February 2026.
Three-time Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo (who caught the world's attention starring opposite Ariana Grande in part one of the blockbuster film adaptation of Wicked) will return 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.
Following the global release of Wicked: For Good this November – one of the most eagerly anticipated cinematic events of the decade – Erivo's next move will be into rehearsals for Dracula. 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 will embody all 23 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. The performance was originated on the Sydney stage in 2024 by Zahra Newman, in a take that Time Out Sydney's Arts & Culture editor coined as a 'masterclass of a performance' in our five-star review.
Speaking about this exciting news, Kip Williams said:"I am excited to reunite with many of my Dorian Gray collaborators on this project, and it is an immense privilege to have such a singularly gifted artist as Cynthia at the heart of it. I can't wait to share this piece with London audiences, especially in the West End, a place where Bram spent so much of his creative life."
Cynthia Erivo added: '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 delve into character, into myth, and into the heart of what makes us human. From the moment I was asked, I could not get the role out of my mind."
Kip's vision is thrilling, terrifying, and deeply resonant, offering a chance to sit with not only the darkness in the world, but also the light we fight to hold onto.
Dracula represents the third and final production in director Kip Williams ' gothic cine-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 six-time Tony Award nominated The Picture of Dorian Gray (which enjoyed triumphant seasons in both the West End and on Broadway, featuring Aussie Succession star Sarak Snook) and the award-winning Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde – both of which started on the Sydney stage, while Williams was serving as Sydney Theatre Company's youngest ever Artistic Director.
Williams stepped down from STC at the end of 2024, and the company is currently playing the final season he programmed for 2025. (Meanwhile, award-winning actor, director, writer and producer Mitchell Butel has taken up the post as STC's new Artistic Director and co-CEO.)
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 West End debut 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 Zahra Newman as dramaturg.
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