FRANKENSTEIN

Production Dates: 10, 11 and 12 May 2001

Summary
Perhaps the truest adaptation of Mary Shelley 's novel, this pl ay opens on Victor's, a young scientist, and Elizabeth's wedding night. Told in flashback, Victor recounts how he has created a "creature" out of bits and pieces of the dead. The creature tracks Victor to his sanctuary to demand a bride to share its lonel iness. Against his better judgement Victor agrees and soon murder, despair and terror invade the household! However there is enough macabre humour to relieve the mounting tension.

Parts

Directed by Aaron Shakespeare

A Word or Two from the Director

Aaron Shakespare shares his thoughts with us:

"I must admit, that I had a hard time choosing a production to direct for this year. Primarily, I wanted to find a play that would follow up the huge success of last year's May production, "Abigail's Party". My main considerations when choosing a production is that it appeals to an audience, that it's challenging and that we have a lot of fun doing it. This is why I ultimately came to the decision to do Frankenstein.

I believe that it will be easy to advertise, (like Abigail, the title will be advertisement enough.) The play will also be a challenge since it is different from anything the group has attempted before, and most importantly, the play will be a lot of fun. There are some nice melodramatic moments, black comedy, suspense and a couple of grisly deaths thrown in.

I must admit that I have plenty of enthusiasm riding behind this play since I am a huge horror buff and could bore for England on the subject."

Review

Kate Hills Provides the review:

"I, like many members of the audience know the story of Frankenstein more or less and the Magdalene Players certainly did it justice.   It's a hard play to perform, not least for the technicalities of the special effects and lighting,  which were executed extremely well by Messrs. Richard, Michael and James Grogan and Matthew Cooper, giving credence to the macabre and tense atmosphere.    The wonderfully eerie grinding and machine motor sounds combined with timely pulsating lighting effects emerging from Frankenstein's laboratory had me suitably nervous never to want to venture over the threshold. 

Overall I was very impressed and really did enjoy myself, and think in hindsight it was simply that the cast and production team alike pitched the play at the right level.   The performance was real and I found myself absorbed right from the start, although I did find the flash back sequence a little confusing.   The only other down side for me was that I also couldn't quite hear everything that was said, but then I was in the fifth row and I am a bit deaf!!!   

Initially,  I found myself feeling sorry for Bernard Godwin's marvellous Monster character, although by the end I had changed my opinion as Bernard successfully took him through a transformation,  from pathetic and lonely to manipulative and cruel .   Given that his staccato sounding voice was unable to show too much emotion, he made up for this superbly by expressive and convincing body language. It has to be said, however, that he was ably aided and abetted by superb make-up artistry designed and applied by Alison Squires.   Alison has been 'doing' make-up for the Magdalene Players, it seems forever, but I don't think that even she envisaged just how well it would work on this occasion, so a certain amount of credit to the plausibility of the Monster should go to her.

The Victorianisms of the text must have been very hard to learn for all the cast, but the biggest chunk was given, and quite rightly, to Victor Frankenstein himself and Chris Robertson not only spoke them with the ease of everyday speech, successfully hiding his native Australian accent in the process, but also approached the role with just the right amount of dark moodiness and despair building gradually to the frenzied outburst when he shoots the monster. 

The lack of any bloodshed to the monster at this point was, to my mind, vital.   The black and macabre theme of the play was portrayed with such strength throughout, that a gun shot wound 'shown' would have punctured it all with too much reality, and all credit should go to Aaron Shakespeare, the very competent director, for insisting to perform this sequence sans blood, against the script's instructions.

I understand that the Monster's makeup took about two hours to apply, so how Alison Squires was then able to take on the role of Frau Frankenstein and play it with such tenderness and concern for her afflicted son I don't know. Anyone that knows me from the Magdalene Players is aware that I have to have total peace space and above all ultimate concentration before I go on stage, and could never have been able to have such a huge distraction as doubling as a make-up artist.   Alison's heart rendering scream as she encounters the Monster is certainly worth a mention as it is extremely difficult to scream with such conviction on cue.   I was also impressed by the way she cleverly built up the tension by trying each key in turn, until finally finding and inserting the correct one to unlock Frankenstein's dreaded laboratory. This scene, I feel, could so easily have been overdone, but Alison played it perfectly and I, for one, found myself on the edge of my seat as she gradually opened the door.

It was a very refreshing change to see the likes of Anne Marie Godwin and Mike Rowe, making a welcome return to 'the boards' as Sophie and Henry respectively.  Mike played Henry with conviction as the confidant and accomplice to Victor Frankenstein and Anne Marie made good use of the few comic lines in the play, getting a laugh every time. Lucy Godwin, someone else that has been absent for a while, played Justine the gypsy girl well.   I was impressed with her voice projection, and overall characterisation.

It's always so good too to see newer members of the group doing so well in their debut performances and Victoria Bailey (Elizabeth) is certainly no exception.    I was especially impressed with her facial expressions as she implored poor Victor to open up his darkest secrets to her.   I very much look forward to seeing her again in many forthcoming Magdalene Players productions, watch this space - she will go far.    So too will Luis Pessoa who played Ernst with a wonderful stoic arrogance.   Just going to show that he can play good straight parts as well as playing the fool, which he illustrated so well in his recent role as Captain Hook in Dick Whittington. 

The Magdalene Players should count themselves very fortunate to have Sue Thompson on their side, as once again she pulled out all the stops by casting her professional eye so expertly to choose wonderful costumes complete with corsets, allowing the girls to move and stand with perfect poise, so relevant to this period.

So well done to cast and crew alike for treating us all to a thoroughly enjoyable and exciting evening.    Roll on November when you will be able to catch The Mag Players in action again when they stage  Ray Cooney's hilarious farce "It Runs In the Family"    The dates,  just to remind you, are 8th - 10th so make a note in your diary - I am sure the tickets will go fast."