Idle Muse Theatre Company presents the World Premiere of BLOOD COUNTESS.
In the 1600s, Hungary was in a decade long war with the Ottoman Empire. The Turks occupied a large segment of the country. As other nobility unite in defense of the country, Erzsebet Bathory manipulates, coerces and begs her son to remain home to protect the castle. After listening to the village gossip about his mom, Pal allows himself to be recruited by one of Erzsebet’s political enemies. He leaves her alone to fend off the Turks, the servants and her own ghosts. She’s about to bleed the country dry to preserve her lands and her youth.
Playwright Michael Dalberg pens a fierce tribute to the legendary countess. After hundreds of years, Dahlberg imagines the truth behind the shocking rumors. He gives Erzsebet a strong voice. She confronts her powerlessness steeped in gender yet the countess also pushes back on her oppression. She challenges her male opponents’ brutality and the hearsay about her bloodsucking ways. Dalberg writes her tough, intelligent and savvy. He retells history from a fierce female point of view.
Director Tristan Brandon deftly balances this herstory lesson with intrigue and gore. The show starts out with a lifeless Countess in a tub with flashing lights (Laura J. Wiley-light designer) and musical bursts (L.J. Luthringer- sound designer). A servant screams. It’s on! The mystery engages immediately. The story unfolds and the blood flows! Along with violence designer Libby Beyreis, Brandon ensures each cut is felt by the audience. I’m in constant cringe-mode.
Brandon’s ensemble, led by the Countess, is terrific. Laura Jones Macknin (Countess) plays this to perfection. She strategizes and rationalizes with regal zest. In the midst of a passionate pontification, she stops abruptly with a snarky comment. Her evil act ceases suddenly as she snaps out of a trance. Macknin delivers impressive range between humanity and heinous -sometimes within a single monologue. Her witchy sidekick, Mara Kovacevic (Anna), brings a mysterious and stoic presence. She and Raul Alonso (Janos) are steadfast loyalists that display glimmers of palpable regret. Alonso is particularly impressive with wordless emotion. Macknin takes on everyone including the defiant Xavier Lagunas (Pal), bombastic Erik Schnitger (Gyorgy) and endearing Makenna Van Raalte (Irme).
While the play is interesting especially from Dalberg’s perspective, Brandon’s orchestration and Macknin’s interpretation, it could be tighter without losing any of the story. Although I do enjoy the theatrics of dramatic scene transitions, it works effectively for 2-4 scenes. When it’s 10+ scenes, it’s overkill adding length not depth. Contemporary audiences would appreciate some more cuts -the bloodless kind.
Still, just in time for Halloween, the BLOOD COUNTESS is the show to see to get your gore-fest on!
Running Time: 2 hours and thirty minutes include an intermission.
At The Edge Off-Broadway Theatre, 1133 W. Catalpa
Written by Michael Dalberg
Directed by Tristan Brandon
Performances are:
Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays at 8 PM
Sundays at 3 PM
Thru October 11
For more information or tickets
Production photos by Steven Townshend/Distant Era
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