Dracula Play Guide - Actors Theatre of Louisville

vampire survival kit
everything you need to know for your
encounter with the undead
The vampire is an ancient and mythic figure. There’s a good chance you’ve heard the Dracula tale,
made famous by Bram Stoker’s novel and by countless classic film remakes based on his book.
But less widely known, perhaps, is the fact that countries all over the world have their very own
vampire stories—each one stranger and more frightening than the next!
What is a vampire?
Stories vary from country to country,
but all of the dark tales share certain things in common:
• A vampire is neither human, nor dead, but rather undead: a being from
beyond the grave, who destroys life in order to continue its own unnatural existence.
• In most cultures, vampires are said to feed on human blood in order to
sustain themselves—usually with a quick bite to the neck!
Where do vampires come from?
Depending on who you ask, you’ll find many different stories about where a vampire comes
from. But many cultures believe that the arrival of a vampire in town means a social taboo
has been broken.
• In Macedonia, people once believed vampires (known as vrykolakas), turned
up when someone didn’t respect local burial rituals, or because of the death
of an unbaptized child.
• In Portugal and Russia, people attributed the arrival of a vampire to the practice
of witchcraft.
How do you kill a vampire?
There are lots of stories about where a vampire comes from, but even more opinions on how
to do away with him. Wreathes of garlic around the neck, holy water, and stakes to the
heart are well-known vampire remedies, but there are others you may not be familiar with.
Here’s what you need to know if you’re expecting a late-night encounter:
• To kill a vampire in Albania, Romania, and Russia, you can stab it in the
heart with a knife and cut its throat. (Please be careful: in Russia there’s no
room for error. If you strike more than once, it will come back to life.)
• In Bavaria and Russia, cut off his head! Ditto for Greece and Crete—
but afterwards, you’ll have to boil it in vinegar.
• In Macedonia, Hungary and Serbia, drive a nail into his head, neck or navel.
• In Ireland, place stones on top of his grave to prevent him from escaping.
• In Poland, bury the vampire face downward. He’ll become confused, and
spend eternity digging for freedom in the wrong direction.
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