EXCLUSIVE: Cynthia Erivo 'Fuming' Over Criticism She 'Fluffed Lines' and Is Using a Teleprompter for Eye-Wateringly Expensive 'Dracula' Show
Cynthia Erivo has been left fuming over claims she used a teleprompter in her 'Dracula' show.
March 15 2026, Published 3:00 p.m. ET
Cynthia Erivo has brushed off mockery over how she relies on a teleprompter during performances of the West End stage adaptation of Dracula – but sources have told RadarOnline.com the Wicked actress has been privately "fuming" over critics getting their teeth into her.
Erivo, 39, is currently starring in a new theatrical adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula at London's Noël Coward Theatre, where she performs an ambitious solo version of the gothic story – playing 23 characters across the show.
Cynthia Erivo Tackles Epic 20,000 Word Monologue
Cynthia Erivo returned to the stage in a demanding new production of 'Dracula.'
The production, directed by Kip Williams, blends live camera work with pre-recorded footage and is structured around a 20,000-word monologue delivered by Erivo.
The performance marks her first major stage role since appearing as Elphaba in the film musical Wicked: For Good, following the success of the first installment of the Wicked adaptation in 2024.
Erivo, who won a Tony Award in 2016 for The Color Purple, returned to the theater after a busy period in film and television that included appearances in Poker Face, Broad City, and Mr. Selfridge.
Star Addresses Social Media Backlash Over Previews
The actress played 23 characters during the performance.
Erivo has now addressed online criticism surrounding the previews and said she was focused on the work rather than the reaction.
She said: "For me, I was still learning the lines and I was still figuring it out, but bit by bit, it has become something that's a part of me. I don't let the comments take the energy that I should be spending on the stage."
Audience members have been paying up to $300 per seat. Some of those who attended early preview performances had posted online, suggesting the actress appeared to glance toward an autocue in certain scenes after fluffing her lines.
But some critics speculated the device was being used to help navigate the script's dense narrative and multiple character shifts, which require Erivo to move rapidly between voices and perspectives.
A source close to the production said the backlash is still frustrating the performer, who has been balancing the challenge of the lengthy script with the technical demands of the staging.
The insider said: "Cynthia was furious and irritated by the suggestion she couldn't handle the material. Anyone who understands the scale of the performance knows it's an enormous task – it's essentially a marathon of storytelling."
High Stakes Staging Blends Live Action and Film
Some viewers claimed Erivo glanced at an autocue during previews.
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Another industry source said the criticism failed to acknowledge how preview periods function in the theater.
"Previews are exactly where actors refine timing, rhythm, and memorization. Cynthia is delivering more than 20,000 words while switching between 23 characters – that's an extraordinary feat by any standard," the insider said.
Erivo said she remained focused on the performance itself rather than the reaction online.
She stressed: "No one knows the experience except for me."
Erivo added the show continues to evolve each night as she becomes more comfortable with the material and the pacing of the performance.
Ariana Grande praised the show after attending a performance.
The actress described the role as a major artistic challenge and emphasized the commitment required to deliver the show each evening. She added she has "a job to do" and wants to do it with "all (her) heart."
The production arrives nearly two years after Williams' acclaimed stage adaptation of The Picture of Dorian Gray, which starred Sarah Snook and won an Olivier Award.
His new version of Dracula expands on the same multimedia storytelling style, combining live stage acting with projected visuals. Erivo's theater return has also drawn support from fellow performers.
Ariana Grande, 32, her co-star from the Wicked films, praised the performance in a social media post after attending the show. Grande wrote on Instagram: "Congratulations, my brilliant, unstoppable friend."
