“Frankenstein”, the play of Mary Shelly’s infamous book was put on by Ryde School with Upper Chine to a twistedly dark and rapturous reception from its audience last night. Using an adaptation by playwright Rona Munro which bravely casts Mary as a character in her own work, this bold and brave piece of theatre was certainly a striking thing to watch.
Charlotte N portrayed the young author who much like the “hero” of her eponymous book, struggles to give life to these new creatures appearing out of her macabre imagination. In a lesser actress’s hands, these asides from Mary could have slowed down the pace of the show, but Charlotte really delivered the lines effectively.
Emily L as Elizabeth also shone in the piece, really throughout, the show was really letting some young actresses stamp their mark on the stage. Her patience at her husband-to-be’s obsessions and huge bouts of depression gave the dark subject matter the humanity that makes the work still so interesting over 200yrs after it was written. Special props go also to Sasha J and Rafferty M for solid performances in supporting roles, bigger ones are sure to be coming for these actors.
The piece however is about the rivalry of creator and monster, and both Frankenstein and his Monster delivered impassioned mature performances that hint of big things to come from either of them. From the way George G came out of the steps in the audience crawling towards the stage, I knew our monster would be in good hands, he gave the part a good balance of primal fury and tender emotion as we saw him abandoned and cruelly treated in a world that fears and loaths his existence. Tom T, once again back in a frenetic gothic leading man role, sold a wide range of emotions and both bravely tackled the great acting challenge it must be to bring such famous characters to life.
It was a very dense script that must have been a real challenge to stage, but the cast really pushed themselves in their performances to create a suitably terrifying and tragic tale about the pressures, responsibilities and harsh nature of “Playing God”, either through the reanimation of life, or the act of making a story itself.
A well done to the cast, and all involved in the creative team.
Reviewed by Olly Fry
IWtheatre 