'Hell of a production' | Frankenstein

Forget about the bolts through the neck. Forget about the thunderous birth, and forget about Igor. And remember one thing: the name Frankenstein refers not, in fact, to the iconic monster made popular by Boris Karloff and beyond, but to the troubled doctor who created him (it’s an annoyingly common mistake, just remember it goes like this: it’s Victor Frankenstein who creates the nameless Creature, or Monster, he subsequently disowns).

For before it became a pop-culture phenomenon, Frankenstein was a mere twinkle in an 18-year-old girl’s eye. Mary Shelley (1797 – 1851) was set to be a powder keg of radical politics from birth. Her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, author of A Vindication of the Rights of Women, was arguably the first feminist while her father, William Godwin, penned books which gave rise to an early form of anarchism.

As if to complete her image as a radical, tortured artist (her mother died 10 days after giving birth to her), she eloped with Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley when she was 17 and he was 22 and still officially married to his then-pregnant wife.

The couple visited a party in Geneva in 1816, which was attended, amongst others, by the famed poet and rake Lord Byron. To pass the time on one particular night, the group decided to tell improvised ghost stories.

But while the other talents present had bigger fish to fry, Mary nurtured her feverish, paranoid vision.

Frankenstein; or, The Mother Prometheus, published anonymously in 1818, became the tortured young writer’s masterpiece. Apart from its literary-historical value (it is often referred to as being both the first example Gothic horror and/or science-fiction) it remains an ingrained metaphor for mankind’s troubled relationship with science: one can easily picture concerns about cloning and artificial intelligence latching on to Shelly’s Monster with ease.    

And sure enough, an exciting new iteration of the story will be making its way to St James Cavalier from March 17, as a theatrical production of Frankenstein starring Benedict Cumberbatch (TV’s Sherlock) and Jonny Lee Miller (Trainspotting) will be beamed from the National Theatre in London as part of the popular NTLive initiative, which was kick-started in June 2009 with a Helen Mirren-starring production of Phedre.

The show opened to rave reviews in the UK, and its run sold out within days. It’s easy to see why. Nick Dear’s adaptation of Shelley’s novel is directed by Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours) and has another unique selling point: the two actors will switch the roles of Victor Frankenstein and Creature on alternating nights.

“If you have ever wondered what an actor brings to a performance, now is the time to find out,” Chris Gatt, General Manager at St James Cavalier, said. “NTLive’s decision to offer both versions of Frankenstein is a revelation as it allows a direct comparison between the two productions, the same and yet completely different.”

UK critics have unanimously agreed that Boyle’s production is a piece of ‘event’ theatre.

 ‘It is a hell of a production. This taut, thrilling play runs to its awful conclusion without an interval, indeed with hardly a moment for breath,’ said Libby Purves of The Times, while The Independent’s Paul Taylor called the alternating performances ‘imaginative productions that pack a devastating cumulative punch and score a singular success.’

While the script remains unchanged throughout, some critics have decided on their favourite casting option. ‘Both versions are well worth seeing,’ writes Charles Spenser in The Daily Telegraph. ‘Miller, however, strikes me as the more disturbing and poignant monster, while Cumberbatch undoubtedly has the edge as the scientist.’

‘The actors complement each other perfectly rather than provide a contest and Boyle’s production is a bravura triumph,’ writes The Guardian’s Michael Billington.

Gatt is confident that this enthusiasm will transfer to local audiences.

“The NTLive experience has been an amazing roller coaster ride, and this upcoming production is doubly exciting.”

The production will premiere with a live screening on March 17 at 20:00, with Cumberbatch as Victor and Miller as the Creature. This version will be repeated on March 20, 27 at 19:00 and April 2 at 20:00.

The alternate version will be screened on March 24 at 20:00, April 8 and 29 at 20:00 and April 17 at 19:15.

Tickets for the live performance are at €12, €10 for repeats. They can be booked by calling 21223200 or by logging on to https://ticketengine.sjcav.org/.