Music: Jim Steinman
Lyrics: Michael Kunze
Libretto: Michael Kunze, based on Roman Polanski’s 1967 film “The Fearless Vampire Killers”
Premieres:
Vienna: 4 October 1997
ROMA Musical Theatre: 8 October 2005
Popular throughout Europe, the musical “Dance of the Vampires” is based on the screenplay of the 1967 Roman Polanski film “The Fearless Vampire Killers” (also known as “Dance of the Vampires”). The music was written by Jim Steinman, the man behind Meatloaf’s hugely successful albums, and getting German writer Michael Kunze on board gave the show a specifically European character and it certainly contains plenty of ‘Slavic’ humour as it transports us to a region of present-day Romania.
The musical is set around 100 years ago, in the area known as Transylvania. A remote mountain village is visited by Professor Abronsius from Königsberg – a fearless vampire researcher, who is accompanied by his young assistant, Alfred. In Chagal’s inn, the travellers come across an extraordinary quantity of garlic. None of the locals admit that the nearby castle is inhabited by vampires, although their love of garlic seems to border almost on a cult (“A healthy breath in a healthy body”). The romantic Alfred falls in love at first sight with Sarah, the innkeeper’s daughter and a lover of bathing (in bath-tubs). The feelings appear to be reciprocated, but Count von Krolock intervenes and invites the girl to a ball in the castle. Naturally, she will have to be rescued…
The show, more than the original comedy-horror film, focuses on the theme of love. It doesn’t limit itself only to the love of the young couple, however. The temptations to which Sarah is exposed reflect, as if in a crazy mirror, the anxieties faced by girls as they enter womanhood. Do they really only dream about love then… innocent love?
Just like in Polanski’s story, the show is filled with characters of flesh and blood, with blood playing the main role. The professor combines the characteristics of Einstein and Chaplin, and his assistant is a lovestruck fool with a romantic streak. The Jewish innkeeper is a lustful old goat, while the women – Sarah, Magda and Rebecca – present a full gallery of characters. Count von Krolock has an aura of perverse emptiness around him, while his son Herbert exhibits a liking for boys. Just imagine a ball in that company!
The most recognisable song from the show is Total Eclipse Of The Heart (a number-one hit previously for Bonnie Tyler), but there is plenty of other hit material as well. Steinman’s beautiful melodies are given a truly Wagnerian setting, which fits perfectly with the gothic atmosphere of the story and the reality of the castle.
Roman Polanski himself took over the staging of the Warsaw production, with the brilliant director also involved in the final choice of the cast after a lengthy audition process.
Selected songs: “Totale Finsternis”, “Eternity”, “For Sarah” and “To Be Dead Is Strange”.