Frankenstein, the Play: 90 Minutes of Soul Soothing Madness
“These 90 minutes of madness will profoundly soothe your soul.” says Amanda Montoni in her review on Theatre Beyond Broadway, of City Gate Productions’ staging of my Frankenstein, adapted from the novel by Mary Shelley. The production was directed by Jorden Charley-Whatley and featured an ensemble of eight actors (full production credits at the bottom). This is the first time my Frankenstein has featured so many actors; previous productions have opted for a smaller cast and more doubling. Now that I have seen both strategies, I must say it matters not. When the performers are as committed as those at City Gate, it’s all it takes to sell the horror and humor of the story. And just what is that story? In a nutshell:
The story of Victor Frankenstein’s blind ambition to solve the mysteries of life and death as well as The Monster’s desire for love and understanding. Caught between these destructive forces is the strong-willed, yet doomed, Elizabeth.
Tyler Fewin as The Monster. Photo by Joe Sinnott. City Gate Productions.
And while my adaptation sticks closely to the source material, I admittedly take some dramatic liberty, particularly with the Elizabeth character. Sidelined in the book, and often a cinematic damsel-in-distress, I have elevated Elizabeth to a central role in the creation of the Monster. I wanted to write a character with real wants and needs; another player in the madness that besets this would-be family between her, Victor, and their child, the Monster. Pardon my self-indulgence, but I love the push and pull between Elizabeth and Victor (the ostensible lead). Additionally, my adaptation features Shelley’s framing device of Victor recounting the story of his life to the wayward ship captain, who has found Victor adrift in the North Pole. It’s an epic journey grounded in character; the team at City Gate Productions achieved this with a focus on the relationships.
As with any of my work, those relationship dynamics are central to the drama. My background as an actor compels me to approach the characters as if I were playing them; Hagen’s Nine Questions must be asked, Stanislavski’s beat work must be completed; and when I’m stuck on dialogue, I envision the characters engaging in a little Meisner repetition. Ironically, while I may not be seeking as many acting gigs these days, I still can’t get away from the work that enriches my life, even more now that I have a family.
As I write in Frankesntein‘s program, my status as a father lend my plays new meaning:
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein looms large over our collective consciousness; the story confronts us with moral quandaries and begs the question, “what would I do?” when faced with life-altering decisions. Each of the characters in this adaptation make choices that have major repercussions for themselves, their loved ones, and even strangers. Reflecting this most is the ambitious young scientist, Victor, and his partner Elizabeth. They create a life they deem monstrous and in choosing to, provoke their creation to be exactly that. But what if Victor and Elizabeth’s initial choice was kindness? I recently became a father and think about the choice to exhibit this ideal in my own life, for the sake of my daughter; it can be easier said than done, but again, the ramifications of our choices are enormous. I hope you enjoy my adaptation of Frankenstein. I hope it makes you think, laugh, and shiver. I thank everyone at City Gate Productions for bringing it to life, and I thank you for being a part of it. In the words of another monster-creator, Ishiro Honda, the director of Godzilla (1954): “Monsters are tragic beings. They are born too tall, too strong, too heavy. They are not evil by choice. That is their tragedy”.
Tyler Fewin as The Monster; Daniel Wolfe Mitnick as DeLacey. Photo by Joe Sinnott. City Gate Productions.
Frankenstein is for the monsters everywhere. You are not alone in this crazy world; and I hope Frankenstein brings you some comfort as much as anything else. For those of you wishing to read or perform my script, please reach out. I would love to talk more about how to give monsters their due.
VINCENT HANNAM 