by Ian Diddams
images by WhimsiCo productions
It’s quite well know, it is fair to say, that in writing “Frankenstein” in 1816, Mary Shelley invented an entire new genre of fiction – that of Science Fiction. She was eighteen years old, not yet married to Percy Shelley the poet and author although they had eloped almost two years earlier while Percy was still married to his first wife. What is maybe less widely known is that appalling weather conditions during 1816, following the eruption of Mount Tambora in Indonesia the year before, had forced her and Percy plus Lord Byron, Claire Clairmont, and John Polidori to be effectively shut up indoors. To pass the time, Byron suggested that they each write a ghost story. The rest, as they say, is history …
It’s quite normal of course for theatre productions of “Frankenstein” to naturally cover the story of Victor Frankenstein’s education, and idea to create human life and the subsequent turmoil of his relationship with the resulting creature, and the poor creatures tortured life seeking companionship while being reviled by all. But Whimsico Productions have taken the opportunity to make the writing of the novel a key feature of this production, and director and writer Lottie Dance (with a little help from Mary Shelley 😉) has created an intertwined tale of the weather trapped group, around and within and between the story of “The Modern Prometheus”.
Yet this show is so much more than that – this is not just a play within a play, or two plays acted out side by side. Oh-so-cleverly the characters of Percy, Byron, Claire and John reflect and are the same as various characters in the fiction itself. Byron “in real life” is an arrogant, self-confident bully, and son it is for Victor Frankenstein, both played by Laurence Tuck with convincing style. Similarly, the Master’s no nonsense, brash personification with the five protagonists is reflected in an excellent portrayal of “The Creature”; excellent because Liam Green presents the creature as just not-quite-human with feelings and desires, rather than some pantomime lurching, monstrous beast.
Charlotte Spiller plays the central role of Mary with aplomb, a true presence on stage, unfazed by Byron’s bullishness, besotted with Percy. Maya Higorani makes her Whimsico debut as Claire Clairmont, Justine and Agatha, and Douglas Murdoch represents John Polidori, the writer and doctor. Percy Shelley is devotedly portrayed by Ethan John Parker who also throws Henry and Felix into his stage mix, while Morgan Waters plays Elizabeth, Walton the ship’s captain narrator, and Safie.
And I must mention the wonderful bespoke music for this show, devised by Brodie Marshall, underlying every scene with mood setting music of high quality. This show is worth a visit just for the music alone.
And so the performance delivers two stories; one well known, the other a delightful insight into what may have happened in Villa Diodati, Geneva in that May and June of 1816. Altogether is a cleverly crafted piece, delivered on a beautifully simple black box style set (I do like a black box me!), with wonderful period costumery. It runs Wednesday 11th November to Saturday 14th, at 7.30 pm at the newly re-furbished seated Rondo Theatre in Larkhall, Bath.
Tickets from https://www.ticketsource.com/rondotheatre/mary-s-frankenstein/e-arqkar
