DRACULA
ACT ONE
SCENE ONE
A stark room in Dr. Seward’s insane asylum, early evening, London, 1890.
A chair placed in the center of a bright gaslight. There is a small table next to the chair. In the chair is RENFIELD, a man in his 30’s. He is bound to the chair.
Dr. John SEWARD, in his 40’s, interviews him.
Renfield is clearly unstable, but maintains control, appearing volatile, threatening.
Seward is professional, meticulous, precise. He leafs through some papers as he begins the interview.
SEWARD
Your name is Renfield?
(no response)
Do you know why you’ve been brought to me, Renfield?
(no response)
Do you know where you are?
(no response)
Mr. Renfield, my name is John Seward. I’m a doctor. You’ve been brought here because your employer...
(still looking through papers)
...discovered you...this morning...on the underside of a wagon at Carfax...it says here...chewing...on...a rat.
At this point, Renfield emits a very slight laugh, catches himself, and returns to his previous threatening stare.
SEWARD (cont’d)
Do you remember that, Mr. Renfield?
(no response; Seward puts down the papers on the small table)
Do you think, sir...you could tell me...why it is you were engaged in this activity?
(nothing)
I’m here to help you.
(nothing)
Mr. Renfield, I can’t help you unless you speak to me.
Again, Renfield does not respond. At this point, MINA Murray enters. She is a very beautiful woman in her 20’s. She does not expect to see a man bound to a chair as she enters. Renfield seems to relax a bit, may even smile, as Mina speaks with Seward.
MINA
Uncle John, I wonder if you...
(sees Renfield)
Oh...I’m so sorry.
SEWARD
What is it, dear?
MINA
I can wait.
SEWARD
No. What is it?
MINA
I was...I just wanted to see if the afternoon post has arrived.
SEWARD
Yes.
MINA
So...nothing...
SEWARD
Nothing from Jonathan. No. I’m sorry.
MINA
Are we going to do something, do you think?
SEWARD
I don’t know what we can do. Lucy hasn’t heard. I’ve spoken with Daniels at the real estate office. They may be...formulating a plan.
MINA
He should have been home days ago.
SEWARD
I’ll call on Daniels again in the morning.
MINA
Something’s happened.
SEWARD
There have been no reports of lost ships, nothing like that. He may just be...taking his time.
MINA
(disbelieving)
Uncle John...
SEWARD
Tomorrow. I’ll speak to Daniels. Get some answers.
MINA
Good. That’s...good. Thank you.
(she starts out)
SEWARD
Is Lucy with you?
MINA
(smiles)
No, uncle. She is not.
SEWARD
(also smiles, awkwardly)
Oh. All right.
Mina leaves. Seward goes back to the papers for a moment. Renfield has now adopted an unsettling smile. After a moment, Seward puts the papers down and looks at Renfield, who speaks.
RENFIELD
(smiling)
Mina.
(a long pause, then with relish)
Mina!
SEWARD
How did you know her name?
(Renfield starts to laugh)
Renfield.
(laughter grows)
Renfield!
Renfield laughs like the lunatic that he is, as the lights fade to black.
SCENE TWO
Carfax, later that evening. Two burly workers, WALLACE and NED, sit on a crate, under a street lamp, wiping their brows. They’ve been working hard.
WALLACE
Is that all of ‘em?
NED
That’s what he says.
WALLACE
He’s a charmer, ain’t he?
NED
I ain’t invitin’ him to my birthday party.
WALLACE
Leaves us out here all day carryin’ them boxes without an offer of food or drink. You’d think he’d show his face once or twice.
NED
‘Long as he’s payin’, I’m not complainin’.
WALLACE
Miss Lucy said he’d be payin’ us tonight.
NED
And where she been all day?
WALLACE
Aw, she just set up the house for the real estate company and she was done with it. Truth be told, I wouldn’t want to deal with Charmin’ Charlie myself if I didn’t have to. I don’t blame her.
NED
His name is Charlie?
WALLACE
I don’t know.
NED
But you said...
WALLACE
I was poeticizin’, Ned! He never told me his name!
Wallace takes off his hat, wipes his brow, and leaves the hat on the crate as he steps away.
NED
He never told us nothin’. Not even what was in them boxes. Must have been forty of them.
WALLACE
Fifty.
NED
Wouldn’ta been half as hard if Renfield hadn’t gone off his rocker.
WALLACE
I think he done it on purpose.
NED
What, et a rat for breakfast on purpose?
WALLACE
Got him off the job, didn’t it?
NED
I don’t think I’d eat a rat just to get a day off.
WALLACE
You ain’t Renfield.
NED
And thank God for that.
(beat)
Wonder what was in them boxes?
WALLACE
Well, comin’ off a ghost ship like they did, I didn’t ask any questions.
NED
Ooooh....I get the willies just thinkin’ about what must have happened to them sailors. Can you fathom it, Wally...
WALLACE
Don’t call me Wally.
NED
Wallace, then. So hi falutin’! Can you fathom it? Crew gets on the boat, sets off for England, pulls into the harbor, all that’s on the boat is the bloody boxes.
WALLACE
And the Captain.
NED
And him as dead as whatever’s in them boxes. Strapped to the wheel. Like torture, it was. Death Ship.
WALLACE
Everybody dead. Nothin’ left.
NED
Except the boxes.
A tall, aristocratic, middle-aged gentleman slips into the light of the lamp. This is the COUNT.
COUNT
Gentlemen!
(they are startled)
I trust you’ve completed your task?
WALLACE
(leaps to his feet)
Yes, sir! Done, sir! We done it, sir!
NED
All of ‘em in the cellar, per your order!
WALLACE
(whispers)
Sir.
NED
Sir!
COUNT
Good. I apologize for the extra burden. I felt it necessary to send your companion on his way. He wasn’t feeling well.
WALLACE
Well, we managed, sir.
COUNT
Something about his...diet. He looked a little pale, don’t you think?
NED
Yes, sir.
WALLACE
A bit grumbly in the gizzard, he was.
COUNT
(beat)
Grumbly in the gizzard. Yes. You’re a poet, sir.
WALLACE
(aside, to Ned)
See?
COUNT
Well, thank you. I may require your services later in the month, when I determine the destination of the...containers.
(starts off)
NED
You mean the boxes.
COUNT
If you prefer...
(again starts off)
WALLACE
Uh...sir...beggin’ your pardon...about our pay, sir...
COUNT
Oh...Miss Westenra will take care of that. See her in the morning.
NED
But Miss Lucy told us...
WALLACE
(interrupts, to Ned)
Please...I’m the poet...
(to COUNT)
Miss Lucy...er...Miss Westenra suggested that you would...dispense us our wages this evening.
COUNT
Well...I suggest...her suggestion...was erronious.
(they both look stumped)
She was incorrect. I have consigned all my funds regarding the house to her at the real estate office. She will pay you in the morning.
WALLACE
But, sir...
COUNT
In the morning. Please. You will not argue with me. Is that understood?
WALLACE
(beat)
Yes, sir.
COUNT
Good evening.
NED
(after a beat, as neither man moves)
I think he wants us to leave.
(another beat, as the Count stares them down)
I think he’s through speakin’.
Another frozen moment. Then, the Count takes a sharp step towards them. They jump back. The Count reaches to the bench and grabs Wallace’s hat. He holds it out. Wallace takes it. The Count continues to stare them down. Slowly, carefully, they step away, and disappear.
The Count waits, then slowly scans the area, one side to the other, as the lights fade to black.