It's easy to see why Dracula Spectacula, presented by Henry Beaufort, Winchester, is a popular school production.

Directors can involve large numbers of brides, village idiots and zombies to support the strong major roles.

The story is rather like The Rocky Horror Show for young people, with caricatures rather than characters such as the naive heroine Nadia (Hannah Jackson) and the impossibly perfect hero, Professor Nick, (Richard Rowe).

Director, Miriam Coley, used a stylised approach in this production which was captured perfectly by Will Pomfrey and Lorena Vila as Hansel and Gretal, the owners of the guest house close to Dracula's castle.

Dan Bennett gave an energetic portrayal of Genghis, the evil count's stupid sidekick, managing a rather wayward hump on his back with great aplomb. Becky Martin, as Countess Wraith, was suitably macabre in her cobwebbed grey wig and spidery make-up.

It is always the villains who have most fun in this type of show and Will Edelsten as Dracula seized every opportunity to show the glamour of evil whether he was rocking up a storm, scaring the audience, or performing a sophisticated top hat and cane number.

The large cast set-pieces were impressive, particularly on the journey when precisely synchronised movement helped a plane take off and land. Dee Jones, the choreographer and producer, was responsible for the Busby Berkeley-style dance numbers.

A series of striking black and white drawings on three enormous flip charts provided the scenery. This enjoyable play was the first to be performed in the school's new Beacon Arts Centre which was opened last year by Lord Puttnam.