#hamilton deane

[contentabnormal]

Bela Lugosi as Count Dracula in Hamilton Deane's play Dracula

Watercolors on Paper, 8.5" x 11", 2026

By Josh Ryals

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The annotated stage play of Dracula, by Hamilton Deane & John L. Balderston. Edited by David J. Skal, 1993.

[countesspetofi]

[robe-and-wizard-hat]

[nitrateglow]

I read the 1927 Dracula play

I expected this to be closer to the famous 1931 movie adaptation, but it turns out the movie is far less faithful to the play than I’d imagined. The movie opens up the play A LOT: the prologue at Castle Dracula is not in the play, nor is the visit to the opera. Much of it is talking, of course, but there are some spooky moments that make me wonder how the effects were achieved in the 1920s stagings. I can kind of understand why a 1920s audience might have been freaked out by this material too-- especially since they were not used to supernatural horror.

[frankensteinical]

In 1928, three years before Universal Studios made their famous Frankenstein film that made a star of Boris Karloff, the stage play Frankenstein, an Adventure in the Macabre (written by Peggy Webling) was making waves with Hamilton Deane in the role of the Monster.  Deane had earlier made a name for himself playing Dracula on stage.

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[contentabnormal]

The fearful fortieth issue of We Belong Dead magazine featuring cover art by Content Abnormal contributor Josh Ryals is now available! This issue is a Dracula Special celebrating the centennial of Hamilton Deane's Dracula play being performed for the first time on stage in Derby, England. This issue is also dedicated to the late great David J. Skal.

Links to where you may order We Belong Dead #40 HERE