Past productions

MARY SHELLEY’S FRANKENSTEIN

31 October – 9 November 2024

Adapted for the stage by Rona Munro

An eighteen-year-old girl, Mary Shelley, dreams up a monster whose tragic story will capture the imaginations of generations to come.

A young scientist by the name of Frankenstein breathes life into a gruesome body. Banished into an indifferent world, Frankenstein’s creature desperately seeks out their true identity, but the agony of rejection and a broken promise push him into darkness. Dangerous and vengeful, the creature threatens to obliterate Frankenstein and everyone he loves, in a ferocious and bloodthirsty hunt for his maker.

Rona Munro’s ‘inventive feminist adaptation’ (The Stage) of Mary Shelley’s Gothic masterpiece places the writer herself amongst the action as she wrestles with her creation and with the stark realities facing revolutionary young women, then and now. It premiered on a tour of the UK in 2019.

Cast

Directed by Penny Parker
Assistant Director | Rosie Foster

Photography by Steve Whiteley

Review | October 2024 | Theo Spring

Martin Swain’s excellent set design brought different levels onto the stage which were able to be incorporated into a myriad of different scenes, all on a pale background colour and set against a huge dominating window through which the moving seasons, weather and more could be interpreted as the story was told. Clever creation of entrances and exits added intrigue. The use of unintrusive shelving meant props were close at hand, avoiding hiatus of both movement and tale telling. All of this was used by Director Penny Parker to move her cast seamlessly to tell their story. .

The premise of this stage adaptation by Rona Munro is that Frankenstein’s author, Mary Shelley, is constantly on stage, actually writing her story. Factually, she began this in 1816 at the age of 18 as part of an idea by Lord Byron, given to companions Percy Shelley, his wife Mary and John William Polidori, that they should each write a ghost story but it is Mary’s Darwin-inspired tale that has stood the test of time.

In an enormous role, Fern Simmons’ excellent characterisation made Mary confident in her plans for horror and murder, bringing the audience into her thinking and often breaking the fourth wall to emphasise a sometimes-comical point. The book is slowly written with many of the cast taking on a variety of its characters. We meet Victor Frankenstein’s family who seem so proud of his burgeoning scientific leanings – he has a brother, a cousin and also a very good friend Henry.

Matt Appleton skilfully succeeded in taking Frankenstein himself through a huge gamut of trials and emotions, from his initial determination to conquer the reinvention of a life to his horror at the far-reaching actions of the monster he had created and his hope of finding solace through a marriage promised long ago.

As for the Monster, James Mercer showed real dedication to his role with a shaved head and a body which clearly bore the signs of being created from other body parts. An aura of threat and malevolence surrounded him, pertinent to his deep and guttural voice, his cries and his actions, although a scintilla of affection was allowed to seep through as he briefly sought some kind of love. A difficult role to characterise which was managed with just the right about of fright and terror. As he murdered Frankenstein’s brother William, he seemed almost surprised by the strength of his own hand yet when it came to destroying any happiness Frankenstein may hope for by murdering his newly-wedded wife, the anger and intent were clear.

Many of the rest of the cast had a variety of characters to portray and, in some instances, the substitution was almost immediate, achieved with slick costume changes, often right on stage. Elke Desanghere commenced the play as Frankenstein’s mother, later becoming the maid, Justine, who was unjustly accused of killing William and whose acceptance of her sentence to be hanged was notably conveyed. Adam Stevens expertly took on four roles. As Father and as Waldman, the scientist who lectured and inspired Frankenstein at University. Suzie Voce was a delight as Frankenstein’s cousin whom he married after her patient wait for him; also adding the role of Safie. Asher Byrne was the explorer Walton and Adam Stevens the Master on his ship, together beginning play with a concerned sighting. Asher later became the fated William and also Felix who confronts the Monster. Samuel Gower brought much cheerfulness and concern to his role as Victor’s best friend Henry, caring for his welfare and overwork.

Abigail Waterfield had taken great care with the show’s costumes, many of which had to be transformed by additions of a coat or an apron for character changes and Mia Liston and Lily Tupper should take a bow for the Monster’s excellent makeup. Peter Beckwith added the all-important and atmospheric music and there were equally important and accurately-delivered sound cues by Mike Millsted. To Niall Monaghan fell the lighting of that huge window which had such an important impact on the production.

Penny Parker’s direction was both skilled and empathetic as she kept both her cast, the scenes and the story moving onwards. Assisted by Rosie Foster, the whole production was performed to an audience certainly rapt in concentration – made even more poignant as that first night happened to be Halloween.