When we think of Frankenstein far too often Boris Karloff’s rigid bolted figure lumbers into our minds, yet this production produces a monster a thousand times more scary. By constantly oscillating between humour and the darker development of the monster’s crimes the audience is invited to laugh, but always slightly uneasily. And boy are there laughs! I tried surreptitiously listing them at first but found that I was almost constantly writing and gave up. The moment Frankenstein (Howard Coase) strolled on stage, looked quizzically at the monster (Nick Finerty)… then ate a monster munch the sere absurdity of it all sent the audience into hysterics. He proceeds to give a hilarious dichtophone commentary on his actions which marks the start of a fantastic script, cleverly adapted from the novel, that constantly plays with our expectations . By mimicking Shelley’s own disjunction of narrative into several separate plots, the script constantly invites you to trace through your memory to remember quite where you have heard ‘cartoons’ or ‘Billie Holiday’ before. I will leave you to find out.
Finerty and Coase are undoubtedly the stars of the show and their early scenes, particularly the one in the restaurant, are the highlights of the entire production. Nick Finerty’s development from writhing inarticulacy to questionable humanity was confidently and convincingly portrayed throughout. His rise mirrors Frankenstein’s fall, yet both are placed within an alarmingly realistic modern context. In an earlier interview, director Harley Viveash said that ‘exploring ideas of perspective’ was a key aim and this is borne out in the constant misunderstandings between the characters. They seem to exist at one remove from each other, never comprehending each other’s analogies or turns of phrase.
The success of this is a testament to the whole cast who, though obviously having read the lines a million times in rehearsal, are able to seem distant. The two leads are supported by a solid cast whose well choreographed chorus actions provide unnerving backdrops to dialogue and facilitate near seamless scene transition. I don’t have enough words to explain the many individual merits of each cast member, but Josh Dolphin’s portrayal of Mike, the old man, and Henry, the best friend, showed him to be a talented and highly versatile actor. I suppose there was very audible talking in tech box which did somewhat ruin the tension that between the monster and Elizabeth (Alice Sandelson), but now I am hunting for problems. All in all this is an excellent production acted by a strong cast which sparkles with mirth and malice. A must see.
