What I liked
The central premise of this show makes either your antennae perk up or your eyes roll a little bit. A matter of taste. SPOILERS….
Jack the Ripper was a vampire, and the killings for which he is famous were examples of “art” given to his mistress whom he turned. The play chronicles their relationship, which wanders into areas like H.H.Holmes and the Black Dahlia. All of this framed very much like Anne Rice’s “Interview With The Vampire.” The result felt fun and interesting. A compelling idea, born from a genuinely dark sensibility (and sense of humor) that avoids the feeling of cliche in approach—or worse, exploitation without genuine interest.
What I didn't like
Well, this is an early draft and at one hour simply lacks the time to develop the premise. All the main characters remain cyphers in the end (although some of the secondary and supporting ones prove quite vivid). More, it feels a bit more like a movie than a play.
The accents were all over the place (mostly) and frankly sometimes cast members simply dove into the cheapest and easiest of all acting choices—unspecific anger.
Small point—I"d’ve like to learn more vampire lore in this world.
My overall impression
I loves me some vampire theatre, and this shows plenty of promise. Thrilled it takes the premise and idea seriously rather than as a gag. Fans of the genre should definitely check this out then keep their eye open for further iterations—I have a feeling they’ll end up very happy they did.
