Bowjangles get their teeth into Dracula in Space

Posted on 20th February 2023

I can’t imagine many people knew what to expect from a show that featured a string quartet and a space vampire, so full marks to the audience at the Corn Hall that took a leap of faith in coming to see Dracula in Space, a performance that’s hard to categorise even having seen it. The audience was rewarded for their adventurousness with a brilliantly bonkers cocktail of classically trained musicians, cod opera and knockabout humour.

I get the impression that Bowjangles have their roots in street entertaining – they have the sort of attention grabbing, high octane performance style you need when you’re competing for attention out in the open. They are talented, but not only as a string quartet. Bertie Anderson Haggart has a particularly fine voice, but they can all hold a tune. Joining her on stage where Mitch McGugan and Ollie Izod on first and second violin and Ezme Gaze on cello. McGugan and Izod were excellent as an unofficial double act, while Izod did much of the heavy lifting when it came to holding the show together. They sang, played, and broke through the fourth wall in a show that zipped along, hardly pausing for breath between one ludicrous set up and the next.

Hugely entertaining and bursting with energy, there was something for everyone in a production that defies summary, managed to be extremely daft, yet craftily clever, all at the same time. There were knowing references for music nerds along the way from Joshua Bell to Bach, a satirical commentary on the music industry, and a very funny narrative, all punctuated with elusive snatches of well-known classics. It’s all too easy to describe a show as unique, but this really was something brave, bold and original. Rarely have I seen straightforward silliness and superb musical talent combined to such winning effect.