City Lit Theater: Strange Cargo
The full crew of the Demeter
CityLit Theater Company Presents STRANGE CARGO Review - Strange Things Are Happening Aboard the Ship
TLDR: Set aboard the ship that brought Dracula to London, the crew of The Demeter feels like it’s going through hell itself as mysterious happenings occur on their journey. CityLit’s adaptation of the captain’s journal chapter from Dracula shows us how truly terrible a trip with a vampire may have gone.
Brian Parry, Alex Albrecht
I’ve Got A Jar Of Dirt! Er, A Crate As It Were
A cargo ship is loading up its stores and shipments and is preparing to set sail from Transylvania to London. The captain and his crew are in high spirits as they load, having all sailed together before. It’s a journey that should be simple and everything should go according to plan. There’s just one thing that may create a slight hiccup in their plans - a wealthy lord’s assistant has been tasked with accompanying his boss’s cargo on this journey. With hesitation, the captain agrees to let this seemingly innocuous man accompany his cargo. Soon crates and crates of earth are brought aboard the ship. What in God’s name could all this be?
Our senses are on high alert as one particularly large crate, human size one would say, is loaded. The captain and his crew say a prayer as the good Christian men they are before they set sail hoping that will protect them. Now, we’re about to embark on the journey of Strange Cargo where CityLit has developed a live performance version of the captain’s log from Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
Jennifer Agather, Nathaniel Kohlmeier
Creating a Haunted Atmosphere
The CityLit Theater has been taken over to look like we’re aboard The Demeter itself. Planks and planks build the helm with the ship’s wheel sitting front and center. A railing guards the stern but looks like there’s a huge drop behind it to the sea. A tall mast extends to the ceiling with rigging coming down to form a rope ladder and way to climb up. Lots of barrels and benches sit off to the side ready to be pulled out and create the different areas onboard.
As we set sail, the cast pulls down white scrims that become the billowing sails of The Demeter. Projections tell us the time and day on their journey and how the weather changes, especially when we need to experience four days of endless rain. Then the sails become fronts for storytelling. We’re treated to shadow puppet storytelling that takes us through the myth of Hades, Persephone, and Demeter and foreshadows the beast that is to come. Then as night falls and a cloaked figure starts tormenting the crew, one by one they disappear behind the sails, never to be seen again. These moments add a fantasy element to Strange Cargo that take us beyond just the ship. Will they reach London in time? Or will the entire crew be doomed to the sea?
Brian Parry
The After Party Thoughts
In this writer’s opinion, Strange Cargo has all the makings of a good thriller for this Halloween season, but the story feels clunky and the tension doesn’t build enough to create that kind of atmosphere. When the big reveals happen, it feels like they come on abruptly without a lot of background music or pacing that would build suspense to the shadows or creepy effects.
Though the tension is a little lacking, the cast’s performances do show us their descent into madness by the happenings around them. We loved the comedic relief from Cameron Austin Brown and Brian Parry’s down to earth and steadfast demeanor as the ship’s captain, so no qualms with how they all delivered the story, only that it felt disjointed.
For those that are looking for a horror play that scares them a little bit more, this might not be the best fit for you. However, for Dracula fans and those who want to see an interpretation of bringing the captain’s journals to life, Strange Cargo would be a good fit for you!
SOMEWHAT RECOMMENDED
Jennifer Agather, Alex Albrecht
When
Now through November 23, 2025
Where
CityLit Theater
1020 W Bryn Mawr
Chicago, IL 60660
Runtime: 2hrs 15min, including an intermission
Tickets
$15+
Tickets can be purchased by phone at 773-293-3682 or through the CityLit Theater website
Photos
Steve Graue
Alex Albrecht, Brian Parry
CAST
Jennifer Agather (Gusa)
Alex Albrecht (Basarab)
Andrew Bosworth (Abramoff)
Riles August Holiday (Olgaren)
Cameron Austin Brown (Munir)
Ross Compton (Bucatar)
Robert Howard (Post)
Nathaniel Kohlmeier (Petrofsky)
Herb Metzler (Yorga)
Brian Parry (Gorodetsky)
CREATIVE
Ed Rutherford (Director)
Ruby Lowe (Scenic Designer)
Beth Laske-Miller (Costume Designer)
Liz Cooper (Lighting Designer)
Joe Griffin (Sound Designer)
Victor Bayona and Rick Gilbert of R&D Choreography (Violence Designers)
DJ Douglass (Projection Designer)
Jeremiah Barr (Properties and Puppet Designer)
Carrie Hardin (Dialect Coach)
Matt Klingler (Technical Director)
Bruce Bennett (Scenic Painter)
Hazel Flowers-McCabe (Stage Manager)
Brian Pastor (Executive Artistic Director, City Lit Theater)