Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus

‘Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus’ (the correct title of the book) is a Renegade Production based on the 190-year old book written by 21 year-old Mary Shelley. It is showing at the Blue Room, 18^th March to 4^th April 2009 at 8.00 pm.

The novel by Mary Shelley was accurately transposed to the cinema in Boris Karloff’s 1931 film ‘Frankenstein.’ It showed the madness of the creator and his rejected and pathetic creation. Whilst being mildly violent, some passages such as the snow scene at the end were sensitive and tragic. Since then, every cinema production of Frankenstein seems to have concentrated on making his creation a monster, and thus totally missing the psychological relationship between creator and creature. In this version, richly written with the traditional style of dialogue by Joe Lui and Alexa Taylor (last year at the Blue Room in ‘In the Shadow of the Wild’), the emotions of rejection and the resultant desire for revenge return in this complex, but very well-crafted script.

It was Prometheus, who stole fire from the Gods and gave it to the poor, thus giving them life and warmth. However, Prometheus too was faced with vicious opposition and so took his revenge.

By running this creature story in parallel with the tale of Prometheus, the young Mary Shelley created a brilliant storyline. A story that has probably even a third theme, life in the modern world, filled with religious or racial persecution.

            In the theatre anteroom, we find the Captain working at his desk, when from the raging blizzard outside staggers in Dr Victor Frankenstein (Paul Grabovac) almost dead from the cold. He then relates his story of the past months. How he created a mortal (Lily Newbury-Freeman), with all of the love and warmth inherited from his heart and brain donor, and how, because of the being’s ugliness and the doctor’s conscience at playing with science, Frankenstein cast aside the monster at birth without a second thought.
           Everywhere the creature travelled he was rejected, until he found peace in a blind woodcutter’s (Mikala Westall) house. The children around the home teased him and he was forced to move on. The creature decided to return to Frankenstein and ask him to make him a partner so that he could live a normal family life. A wrong answer to this request may lead to dire consequences for Victor and his true love, Elizabeth (Alexa Taylor).

Director Joe Lui designed the wonderful dim and atmospheric lighting, along with his piano music and ethereal sound effects, a fabulous mood developed to the play. Aleesha Green’s sensitive and precise control of the lighting ensured the tension. The actors enunciated clearly, and with innovative body movements conveyed the full emotion of the tale.

Kit Sparrow has produced a multi-screen set of visuals, ranging from Frankenstein at work, to the mitosis of cells. As always with Renegade productions, this is a complete unit where even the wardrobe, hair and make-up design (Channelle Rogers) have all been carefully considered.

A stunning show, with superb acting. It is complex and intelligent, not a simple night out, but well worth seeing.