Airlock Theatre to premiere queer musical Count Dykula at Soho Theatre in 2025

Airlock Theatre, known for its quirky and bold productions, will premiere its latest creation, Count Dykula, at Soho Theatre’s Main House from 11^th February to 1^st March 2025. This new queer musical promises to blend humour with a critique of societal norms, continuing the company’s tradition of challenging mainstream narratives through entertainment.

Count Dykula explores the life of a non-conformist vampire at Scare University, who defies the typical femme fatale archetype prevalent in her world. The protagonist, a butch loner, enjoys garlic naan and struggles with her transformation abilities, only managing to turn into a bat after consuming a couple of beers. The narrative examines her fight against the university’s oppressive dictates on what constitutes the “right way to be a monster”.

The creators of the show, Rosanna Suppa, Eleanor Colville and Robbie Taylor Hunt, shared their excitement about the project, stating, “We’ve all seen Vampire Diaries and Twilight, if you’re doing vamps you’ve got to put them in a school. It’s been a lot of fun bringing Scare University to life/death.” They further commented on the thematic depth of the play, noting, “Betwixt the wigs and low-hanging-fruit jokes about sucking, Count Dykula is about being allowed to live your true monster life in all its freaky glory, and not caving to the mainstream monsters who try to co-opt a human-normative regime. See what we’re doing there…? …Get it? …Do ya…? …it’s a parable for gays. Oh sure okay, you got that.”

The production team includes Jessie Anand as producer, with set and costume design by Caitlin Mawhinny, sound design by Anna Short, and music direction by Erin Rydal and Simon McKenzie. The team’s previous works have been noted for their innovative approach and have garnered positive reviews, setting high expectations for their latest venture.

Count Dykula will run nightly at 7pm with additional matinees at 2.30pm on selected Saturdays. Tickets start at £11, making the show accessible to a broad audience. 

Airlock Theatre has previously captured audiences’ imaginations with productions like Lesbian Space Crime and Pansexual Pirate Pregnancy, both of which enjoyed successful runs at the Soho Theatre. With Count Dykula, the company aims to complete a trilogy of thought-provoking and laughter-inducing theatre that pushes the boundaries of traditional storytelling, revealing a unique blend of satire and celebration of queer identities.

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COUNT DYKULA is at Soho Theatre from 11^th February until 1^st March 2025. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.