By Rebekah Weaver
Do you like sketch comedy like Divine Comedy or Saturday Night Live? Do you like stupid jokes that are unpretentious and silly? Then you may fit right in at Dracula vs. Henry Botter at the Off Broadway Theatre in downtown Salt Lake City.
Henry Botter is an original play by local Logan Rogan. While the play is to some extent a parody of the Harry Potter books, you don’t need more than passing familiarity with the original books or movies to get what’s going on here. The basic gist of the play is this: what if Dracula was the bad guy in the Harry Potter series? The answer: it would be a much wackier story.
What to Expect
The Off Broadway Theatre, located in the heart of Salt Lake City, gives off a cheerful, friendly vibe. Before the play started, the cast invited anyone who was celebrating a birthday to the stage, got the audience to sing to them, and told them to visit the box office for a free ticket to another show.
Throughout the play, the cast invited and appreciated audience participation. We booed when the villains came onstage, accompanied by their theme music in true melodrama style, and cheered for the hero. Dracula (Eric R. Jensen) in particular is excellent at listening to the crowd as he gives his lines and reacting on the spot to whatever he hears. The theater also runs improv shows, so I’m not surprised that this was a strong point for them.
Overall, what you should expect at Dracula vs. Henry Botter is a lively performance that reads like an extended SNL parody, and expect to do more than just sit and enjoy the show. If you want an experience that allows you to express what you’re feeling vocally, then this play may be for you.
The Jokes
For anyone who goes to a play called Dracula vs. Henry Botter, the first and biggest question will be this: is it funny? Overall, yes, but to varying degrees depending on your sense of humor. If your sense of humor is more highbrow, then this play will not be for you. However, if you like slapstick, one-liners, and the ridiculous, then you’d be in the right place. The play had some truly great moments, including some hilarious physical comedy between Dracula and Haggard (Kelly Leann Bellis), an inspired Charlie Brown reference, and some great one-liners about Utah’s political and religious landscape. The play’s three songs also went over extremely well, especially the last one, “I”m Vlad,” a vampire parody of Michael Jackson’s “Bad.”
However, a few jokes don’t land, but if you’re a person who laughs easily, you’ll have a great time.
The Cast and Crew
While every member of the cast has an opportunity for some good jokes, the standout was Jensen’s Dracula. Not only does he get more stage time than anybody else, but he uses it more effectively.
However, a close second would be Eric Armstrong, who plays both Hans and Uncle Mervin. Both of these characters are exceedingly minor, but Armstrong’s work with them makes them way more memorable than you’d expect.
Caleb Ceran gives us an earnest, awkward, and eager Henry Botter, flanked by his friends Heardirony and Don Sneezly (Henry Poppe), whose over-the-top love-hate relationship is a solid parody of how many people feel about the original version of their relationship. The other students, Snako Mouthoff (Zach Hulse) and Chow Tokanation (Destony Rosas) are similarly delightful. I enjoyed Hulse’s convincing arrogance, and Rosas gave us a surprisingly funny and sly Chow.
I must also mention Tonya Aikens as author A.K. Lawlings. Her part is relatively small, but she pops in occasionally to offer commentary on how the story is going. I didn’t expect this to be so funny, but it was, so props to playwright Rogan.
Lastly, we need to give credit to the crew that made this possible:
- Directors Clarence Strohn and Clarissa Armstrong for their sense of timing
- Choreographer Clarissa Armstrong for the excellent dance sequence with “I’m Vlad”
- Sound effect specialist Rob Reins
- Set designers Eric Jensen, Clint Lehmberg, and Reins again for their simple, but effective work
- Costumers Eric Jensen (apparently a man of many talents) and Janice Jensen for making the characters of Dogwarts feel authentic
- Sound and light technician Ben Tribe for pulling the show together
All in all, if a play title like Dracula vs. Henry Botter gets your interest, go to the Off Broadway Theatre and prepare to laugh for a couple of hours. It’s Halloween month—so have a great time!
The Off Broadway Theatre presents Dracula vs. Henry Botter by Logan Rogan
The Off Broadway Theatre, 272 South Main St., Salt Lake City, UT 84101
September 28–November 3, 2018, 7:30 PM
Tickets: $10–16
Contact: 801-355-4628
The Off Broadway Theatre Facebook page
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