DRACULA rose from the stage when Dudley Little Theatre brought the classic vampire tale kicking and screamingly to life at Netherton Arts Centre...but perhaps he should have stayed in his coffin.

Dishing up playwright David Calcutt’s adaptation of Bram Stoker’s bloodcurdling gothic horror for their last outing of 2010 sounded like an ideal choice for a chilling season finale.

But sadly this usually engaging ensemble’s efforts lacked bite, leaving theatregoers thirsty for a good old Christopher Lee celluloid.

The Victorian venue in Northfield Road was a great setting for the world’s most famous vampire story but the production by David Hutchins and Lyndsey Parker had little atmosphere.

Presented through a series of flashbacks and dialogues - the rather clumsy and disjointed show was presented with minimalistic staging and special effects (i.e. no eerie music/no mist), on the most brightly lit stage I’ve ever seen; and with acting that was cornier than the now classic Hammer Horror outings.

James Silvers had a certain presence and tried to transfuse a bit of life into the role of the mysterious count, but at times it seemed he couldn’t quite get his teeth into it. He was more Duckula than Dracula.

Tony Stamp’s Jonathan Harker - who gets sucked into the horrifying world of vampires while on business in Transylvania - had about as much life in him as one of the undead creatures; and Liane Purnell, who starred opposite as his sweetheart Mina, was as wooden as one of Professor Van Helsing’s stakes.

Seasoned stage star Karen Whittingham, however, who starred as Mina’s friend turned vampire Lucy Westenra, brought her role to life with gusto. Her death scene was disppointing though and could have been hammed up much more.

Producer David Hutchins redeemed himself with his worthy depiction of Renfield, Dracula’s mad assistant; and John Lucock as Professor Van Helsing upped the stakes with one of the most credible performances of the night.

But on the whole the show was more comic than horrifying - and towards the end I was dying for it to be done and dusted. It was more Dracula, dead and loving it...except it was dead boring and the audience was certainly not loving it.