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Latest items? Unedited? Fringe Report Uncut
Frankenstein!
Verdict – What’s behind the monster
Edinburgh 06 - Rocket @ Demarco Roxy Art House – 16-26 August 06 - 19:15 (2:05)
Frankenstein! is a demonstration, in song, of how the life of writer Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (1797-1851) affected the creation of her monster - and possibly how her monstrous creation affected her life.
The story starts a few years after the teenage Mary Godwin elopes with poet Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822), on a stormy night in Italy when Shelley and fellow poet Lord George Gordon Byron (1788-1824) nearly die at sea. The night gets the assembled group telling horror stories, and discussing what the 'spark of life' is.
One night, Mary is inspired and starts to write Frankenstein. The action cuts back and forth, with student Victor Frankenstein at college, trying to learn, and eventually experimenting by creating his creature.
Frankenstein's creature gets free, meets other people, is treated badly, and ends up killing Frankenstein's young brother. Frankenstein goes to challenge him, and the monster explains that his hideousness is the reason why he is treated as evil - and that this is his maker's fault. He demands a mate, or he'll haunt Frankenstein.
Victor Frankenstein goes off to marry his fiancé, hoping to hide from the problem. The monster kills his wife on their wedding night. Destroyed, Frankenstein finally kills the monster.
The story of the novel is intercut with the life of the Shelleys during its writing. Mary Shelley compares the pain and struggle of writing her novel with that of giving birth.
With the story ended, Mary is broken – her novel is completed, but her husband and children are dead.
This is a completely new production, an ambitious project. There is a large cast - many of whom form choruses of several different groups – and a sizeable band, with plenty of soloists.
There are some talented actors and singers: Stephanie Rowlands (Mary Shelley) is a believable young mother and passionate writer, Sam McClure (Byron), Edwin Bennett (Shelley), Alissa Withington (Frankenstein’s fiancé Elisabeth), and Jonny Cummins who gives a sympathetic portrayal of the Monster.
The whole cast, and the band, put their all in to it. Sadly, the volume of the band sometimes makes the cast difficult to hear clearly, making it harder to follow the action. Being told on the way in to the venue that reading the programme notes first is vital is not a good sign.
The music is pleasant, and sometimes highly atmospheric, but there is not a particular piece that stands out. None seems to be a particularly poignant, memorable number, nor an audience-pleasing sing-a-long.
The production overruns its scheduled two hours and five minutes. Merging Mary Shelley's life and her fiction makes for a long piece, and although the stories and casts are distinct, the overall affect is a little confusing. Combined with only having a minute long interval – and not all of those who popped out returned - this makes it hard work for the audience.
Cast Credits: (alpha order): Percy Shelley - Edwin Bennett. Dr Polidori - Ollie Carson. Dawn Singer - Laurie Cottam. Mme Ingolstadt, Mary's housekeeper - Caroline Hartill. Mrs Godwin - Caroline Hartill. John Godwin - Ted Hewett. Signor Clavelli - Byron's Steward - Patrick Higham. Claire Clairemont - Emily Hurdiss. Oscar - Chris Jamieson. Trelawney, friend of Byron and Shelley - Jeremy Lloyd. Lord Byron - Sam McClure. William, Mary's son - Laura Nightingale. Mary Shelley - Stephanie Rowlands. CHARACTERS IN THE NOVEL: Felix, a woodland peasant - Laurie Cottam. The Monster - Jonny Cummins. Agathe, sister of Felix - Caroline Hartill. Herr Frankenstein, Victor's father - Ted Hewett. Victor Frankenstein - Al Hinton. Father of Agathe and Felix - Jeremy Lloyd. Henry Clerval, Friend of Frankenstein - Sam McClure. William, Frankenstein's young brother - Peter Nightingale. Waldenman, Lecturer in Chemistry and Anatomy - David Shipley. Innkeeper - Ed Shone. Elisabeth, Victor's fiancé - Alissa Withington. The Ice Goblins – Ollie Carson, Jessica Edwards, Oladipo Emeruwa, Jack Evans, Hugh Ferguson, Vanessa Goulding, Patrick Higham, Chris Jamieson, Ed Shone, James Sutcliffe. CHORUS: Chorus of theatre goers, servants at the Villa Diodati, gossips, students at Ingolstadt University, peasants, wedding guests played by the above and - Kitt Atkinson, Ben Edmunds, James Ellis, Michelle Degli Esposti, Isabel Johnson, Felicity Peel, Felicity Schofield, Catriona Till. THE BAND: Flute - Hugh Williams. Clarinet - Christine Fuller, Lucinda Heyman. Oboe - Henry Munton. Bassoon - Kristian Holden. French Horn - Stephen Craigen, Paul Goulding. Trumpet - Edmund Higham, Charlie Oram, Michael Webb. Trombone - Emily Abington, Richard Hudson, Henry Loveless, Tom Seymour. Percussion - Hannah Beech, Henry Southern. Violin - Chris Cox, Dympna Nightingale. Cello - Stephen Johanson, Dominic Main, Ben Moore. Double Bass - Eddie Thomas. Keyboards - John Moore, Michael Webb.
Company Credits: Writer – Mary Shelley. Book and Lyrics - Peter Fanning. Music - John Moore. Director - Peter Fanning. Musical Director - John Moore. Assistant Director - Dimitri Portier. Tour Manager - James Marshall. Stage Managers - Alex Cobb. Additional Crew - Spencer Chapman, Andy Hinton, James Lyons. Lighting - Nick Lloyd, Adam Cartwright. Sound - Ben Cox, Sam Grainger. Follow Spots - Oscar Wyatt, Will Cowling. Properties - Vinoj Srinivasan. Wardrobe - Kate Ford, Jane Fanning, Phillippa Moore. Make-Up - Christine Samworth. Publicity - Dimitri Portier, Jack Fanning. Programme - James Marshall. Company - Shrewsbury School. Website - www.shrewsbury.org.uk.
END
(c) Gill Smith 2006
reviewed Thursday 17 August 06 / Rocket @ Demarco Roxy Art House
Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2012
www.fringereport.com
