When she was only 18-years-old, Mary Shelly began working on a manuscript she would publish in 1818, changing the literary world forever. The young woman created one of the most memorable and influential horror stories, the impact of which we are still feeling over 200 years later. ‘Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus’ has been adapted, parodied, reimagined, studied and appreciated as one of the most iconic stories ever written.
On a ship in the Arctic Ocean in the 18th century an ambitious man feels very lonely. The captain of the expedition wishes to reach the North Pole no matter the cost to his own life, or the lives of his crew. In the foggy frozen whiteness, the ship becomes trapped in the ice with no escape. Just then, the crew come across an emaciated and dying man in pursuit of a giant hulking figure. The weakened man is Dr. Victor Frankenstein (Darcy Brown) and he was once an ambitious individual himself.
As a young man, Victor was born into a wealthy Genevan family, his mother tragically died yet he was still surrounded by love with his father (Tony Cogin), his young brother William (Chloé Zuel), his adoptive sister Justine (Anna Lise Phillips), and his childhood chum Henry (Nick James). Most importantly, his beloved, the woman he plans to wed one day, Elizabeth (also Chloé Zuel, details later). Accepted for a place at the prestigious University of Ingolstadt, Victor throws himself into his studies with a disturbing goal. He wishes to create life itself, animating a human stitched together like a horrific patchwork quilt. More horrifically still, he succeeds!
Immediately upon seeing this ‘Creature‘ (Jeremiah Wray) Victor know he has quite literally made a mistake. The Creature‘s grotesque form and ungodly nature which sends Victor into a madness of guilt which threatens to consume him. But Victor hasn’t seen anything yet, as The Creature is a living thing with powerful emotions and intellect but an even more powerful sense of vengeance. As humanity shuns this being which never asked to be made, The Creature blames its “father” for its pain. Victor Frankenstein thought he was creating life but little did he know, he was actually creating the means of his own desolation.
Shake & Stir Theatre Company and John Frost For Crossroads Live present this new bombastic stage production of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. The producers set out to pay tribute to Shelly‘s timeless classic with a show which would remain faithful yet also feel contemporary in its themes. Adapter Nelle Lee and Director Nick Skubij understand that Shelly‘s work is already perfect, and their job is to make it come to life on stage as spectacularly as possible.
In this way there aren’t too many surprises in store for those familiar with the gothic tale. While Boris Karloff’s 1931 portrayal of the creature may be the most recognisable, that film did take substantial liberties in adaptation. However, this production follows much closer to the novel and will be familiar to anyone who has seen Kenneth Branagh’s version or any other equally faithful adaptations. There have been some changes and additions made many of which add more agency or dialogue for the play’s female characters.
The fate of the women in Victor‘s life remains the same and that extra time spent spent on the female characters could have been better spent elsewhere. It’s almost like The Creature takes longer to take his first steps (in an incredible moment showcasing the physicality Wray brings to the role) than Victor does in making his ultimate decision to play God in the first place.
The story may be familiar but it’s in how the horror is brought to the stage that makes this production such a joy to experience. Starting with the cast, I was thoroughly impressed by the versatility of all involved. Brown‘s Victor goes from a cocky and ambitious medical student to a hysterical wreck. While Wray (under make-up that takes hours each night to apply) transforms in the opposite direction with his Creature‘s mute and childlike innocence falling away to a wrath-filled yet eloquently spoken demon.
The supporting cast show their skills with each taking on multiple characters, while also supplying a window into Victor‘s mind as they jointly narrate his thoughts and then later, his growing guilt. Chloé Zuel is outstanding playing both the beautiful Elizabeth and the young William. The only downside to playing two roles is that she can’t be on stage as both at the same time, despite how incredibly fast her wardrobe changes happen!
To this, the show is first and foremost a technical marvel. The full story of Frankenstein is told here with use of rear projection, sets, moving stages, pyrotechnics, stunts and constantly changing costumes! Things begin in a jaw dropping manner as a giant ship rises out of the fog the huge sails of which reaching as high as the theatre allow. Transitions from one scene to another are smooth and scenery disappears, reappears and move about thanks to the Princess Theatre’s rotating stage floor.
This is a fabulous production of a classic story delivered with all the electricity and ferocity it deserves. In a time when advancements in Artificial Intelligence have us questioning whether there are some lines mankind shouldn’t cross, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein feels as relevant as ever. With an amazing cast, backed up by outstanding technical achievements, combined Frankenstein ensures that even if you know the story by heart, there’s plenty in this production that will take your breath away.
Proudly presented by Shake & Stir Theatre Company and John Frost For Crossroads Live, the Shake & Stir version of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is playing for strictly limited seasons in Melbourne at the Princess Theatre until 1st of September and in Sydney at Theatre Royal Sydney from the 28th of September to the 13th of October.
For more information and ticketing, visit: https://frankensteinlive.com.au
Photography by Joel Devereux.
