MACHINE: A FRANKENSTEIN STORY cast recording released Oct 31

MACHINE | A FRANKENSTEIN STORY, a new British musical reimagining Mary Shelley's Frankenstein through the lens of the twin threats of climate meltdown and A.I. apocalypse, has released its studio cast recording.

In a basement laboratory the Creature utters his first words. His creator Dr Victoria Frankenstein cannot believe her programming has actually worked, here is a machine to mend a broken world. Meanwhile her fiancé Liz is upstairs unpacking her boxes and planning their future life together. Inspired by Mary Shelley's Frankenstein this musically haunting and ethically complex new musical is simultaneously a queer love story and a tense thriller as Vic's AI robot creation becomes an eco-terrorist and through his misguided attempts at climate justice threatens to destroy human civilization. This three hander musical from writers Candida Caldicot (composing - Little Prince, Alice in Wonderland, musical directing - Broadway/ West End/ National Theatre) and P Burton-Morgan (award winning writer of Sherlock Holmes & The Poisonwood, In the Willows, The Rhythmics) is simultaneously a chilling exploration of the dangers of A.I. and a paean to love as a response to climate collapse.

Featuring an all star west end cast, MACHINE stars Arthur Darvill (Oklahoma, West End; Dr Who, BBC) as The Creature, Laura Pitt-Pulford (Into The Woods, West End; Standing At The Sky's Edge, West End) as Victoria Frankenstein and Parisa Shahmir (Jesus Christ Superstar, Watermill; Fisherman's Friends, UK tour) as Elizabeth Lavenza.

It has orchestrations by Jen Green, was mixed by Pierpaolo Demarchi, percussion played by Joley Cragg and cello by Tom Wraith.

The cast recording is available via Spotify and other digital platforms at ditto.fm.

P Burton-Morgan, who in 2020 won the Writers Guild of Great Britain Award for musical theatre book writing for In the Willows says, 'We're thrilled to share this recording with the world - it is a prescient exploration of the dangers of A.I. all wrapped up in a tense psychological thriller.'

The project was supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

About the Creative Team

Candida Caldicot is an established composer and musical director for theatre. Composing credits include Nell Gwynn (Theatre By The Lake and UK tour); The Little Prince (Taunton Brewhouse & Metta Theatre); Zeraffa Giraffa (Little Angel & Omnibus); Summer musicals for Iris theatre. Musical directing credits include Summerfolk (National Theatre); The Little Mermaid (Watermill Theatre); Elektra (West End); Dr Strangelove (West End); The Hills Of California (Broadway, West End); Fangirls (Lyric Hammersmith); Withnail and I (Birmingham Rep); Enemy Of The People (West End); A Strange Loop (West End/Barbican); To Kill A Mockingbird (Gielgud Theatre); The Lehman Trilogy (Broadway, West End, International Tour, National Theatre & New York); Jews. In Their Own Words (Royal Court Theatre); Black Love (Kiln Theatre, Paines Plough); The Wizard of Oz (Musical Supervisor, Leeds Playhouse).