Resurrection (MICF)

Vampires have returned to pop culture's crypts after the noughties' Twilight boom. But the nostalgia surrounding the 20th anniversary of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, and The Vampire Diaries finale, proves that their currency is eternal. Regardless, Dracula's Cabaret is a Melbourne icon — a horror-themed theatre restaurant complete with ghost train. The "haunted castle" recently added a creepy new closet graveyard.

This year, Dracula's is staging the revue Resurrection in tandem with the Melbourne International Comedy Festival — revamping their "greatest hits" of the past 10 years and introducing repertoire. It's lavishly produced avant-vaudeville encompassing live music, transgressive comedy, burlesque, dance, puppetry and visuals.

Even the pre-show entertainment is rad, with versatile resident star Connor "Fingers" Sweeney leading the band's cover of Muse's Supermassive Black Hole — subversively reclaimed from the Twilight soundtrack.

The Dracula's vibe is a bit New Orleans, a bit Las Vegas, and a lot gothic Melbourne. And, appropriately, the three-act Resurrection begins with the untold story of the city's vampire subculture — charismatic host Stewart "Diamond" Reeve channelling Nick Cave, that post-punk Prince of Darkness, with Red Right Hand. It could be "Drac's" pinnacle.

Other music highlights include a vampy take on Arctic Monkeys' swampy Do I Wanna Know (with Fingers) and stylised revisions of both The Veronicas' EDM In My Blood (by vocalist/guitarist Lacota "Ivy" Vella) and Portishead's Glory Box (a choreographed Emma "Rebel" Clark shining). The most out-there comedy is When I Was A Sperm, with its outrageous props (and a cheeky Justin Bieber missive).

The conclusion is a song suite that launches with Radiohead's grunge-era Creep and culminates in a Rocky Horror-esque cast makeover of The Sweet's The Ballroom Blitz. Resurrection slays.