Constellation Embraces the Darkness with ‘Dracula’ Comedy at Atlas

On H Street NE, where murals mingle with mezze and a Metro ride feels like a minor adventure, Constellation Theatre Company has unleashed a Dracula that’s less brooding baron and more bite-sized bedlam.

“Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors,” now stalking the Atlas Theatre District, takes Bram Stoker’s famously foggy folklore and flips it into something frighteningly funny; a brisk, bawdy romp that knows exactly when to bare its fangs and when to flash a wink.

This is gothic horror by way of gallows humor. It’s a familiar tale: English ingénue, ominous castle, lusty locals, and a count with a thirst problem. But this one gets a madcap makeover you can really sink your teeth into, fueled by camp, physical comedy, and a delightful disregard for solemnity.

Five fearless actors shapeshift through a dizzying array of roles, costumes, and comic gears, creating a whirlwind of quick changes and quicker punchlines. It’s theatrical sleight of hand that slays — especially because the ensemble leans into the chaos with knowing glee.

Constellation has always been adept at smart spectacle, and here the company turns the genre blender up to eleven. Expect broad laughs, clever callbacks, and a Dracula who’s as seductive as he is ridiculous. The show’s humor thrives on contrast: candlelit creepiness colliding with modern comedic timing; swoony seduction punctured by a perfectly placed pratfall. The result is a production that feels both literate and gleefully unhinged.

The set plays its part, but the actors really give this one its bite. The comedy is kinetic, the pacing tight, and the jokes land with the satisfying thud of a coffin lid. Even when the show flirts with excess, as it happily does throughout, it keeps the blood pumping and the laughs coming.

And the Atlas Theatre’s intimate setting only amplifies the fun. You’re close enough to catch every raised eyebrow and conspiratorial grin, which makes the show feel like a secret shared among friends (friends who aren’t afraid of a little theatrical fog or a lot of innuendo).

It’s a farce, but make no mistake: this Dracula has teeth. The humor is adult, the sensuality stylized, and the spectacle unapologetic. But beneath the lusty lunges and lurid laughs is a genuine affection for the source material.

“Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors” runs approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes and is recommended for ages 13+. The production, which runs through February 15th, includes flashing lights, loud sounds, theatrical fog, strong sexual content, adult humor, stylized violence, and simulated sex scenes.