After years defying gravity, Wicked star Cynthia Erivo has traded the shimmering world of Oz for something darker and far more demanding.
On the stage at London's Noël Coward Theatre, Erivo stands alone, carrying an entire gothic epic on her shoulders in a new adaptation of Dracula.
There are no flying monkeys or emerald cities here. Instead, the actress alone carries a two-hour theatrical marathon, playing 23 characters with 20,000 words of dialogue in a constant dance with live technology that blurs the boundary between film and stage.
During early preview performances, the show attracted attention for more than its ambition, as some audience members complained online that Erivo appeared to still be learning sections of the script and at moments relied on an autocue.
But speaking after the show's opening night on Tuesday, the 39-year-old told the BBC she blocks out those comments.
