Vampyric folklore is fit to burst with badass babes kicking butt and taking names. Bram Stoker gave us the archetypal Brides of Dracula, and it’s even possible that Dracula himself was based on real life ‘Blood Countess’, Elizabeth Báthory.
Anne Rice – literary badass – gave us Akasha, AKA Queen of The Damned, the progenitor of all vampires. And way back in 1997, Joss Whedon’s Buffy Summers kicked the crypt door wide open and drove Mr. Pointy through the cold, undead heart of the patriarchy. Now there are three new names to add to this formidable Army of Darkness: Rachel Trainor, Lakota Vella, and Emma Lee Clark.
The trio is appearing in Dracula’s new stage show Resurrection. It’s a flashy, kitschy production that brings together Dracula’s most requested acts of the past decade, revamped with slap-face costumes, retro-now songs, mesmerising special effects and serrated edge comedy. No act too audacious, and no heel too high. Remember the pure, unadulterated joy of watching the Scooby gang break into musical numbers about bunnies (Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Once More With Feeling, 2001)? This cabaret show gives that fan favourite a run for its money.
Rachel Trainor’s favourite act is a piece called My Blood, in which she gets to showcase her skills behind the drum kit. “I think that having a woman drummer is a talking point for people,” explains Trainor. “A lot of people are surprised to see women on stage playing instruments in a rock setting.”
It’s an empowering experience for Trainor and one she hopes she can pass on to the next generation of performers. “I always get people telling me they can’t wait to tell their daughters about a show that features women musicians so prominently,” she says. “That’s the best thing, when what you do inspires younger girls to play music and perform. It’s a great feeling.”
Lakota Vella is a self-taught musician and guitar-gun for hire. Dracula’s marks her first foray into the world of musical theatre. Vella has embraced the opportunity with vigour, immersing herself in the macabre aesthetic and it’s characters. “I’ve been called a vampire since I was a teen because I mostly wear black and my role models are Elvira (Mistress of the Dark) and Morticia Addams,” she explains. “Also, my music taste could be considered quite morbid. I have a thing for doom metal and anything with dark, brutal guitar riffs.”
Emma Lee Clark joins the cast after a recent stint performing in the musical Cats at the London Palladium. “I still go to dance classes and work on my singing daily,” she explains. “I believe that you can learn a lot from the people you work with and that there is always room for improvement no matter how good you are.”
The ladies will join Dracula’s deliciously androgynous MC, Stuart Reeve and circus cabaret performer, Connor Sweeny in a season that spans the duration of the Melbourne Comedy Festival.
George Hyde
Published in Beat Magazine March 2017
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