Review: FRANKENSTEIN; OR, THE MODERN PROMETHEUS at Synetic Theater

As we confront today’s world of ecological and technological threats, AI p(doom), cloning, and the specter of reinstated nuclear testing, Synetic Theatre brings to the stage a powerful new production that warns us that creation always demands a price.

In crafting the world premiere interpretation, the Synetic team – director Paata Tsikurishvili, choreographer Irina Tsikurishvili, and resident dramaturg/adapter Nathan Weinberger – keep the essential framework of Mary Shelly’s 1818 horror masterpiece of Dr. Victor Frankenstein who creates an intelligent, living creature in an unorthodox experiment. But the Synetic artists lean into the novel’s subtitle, “Modern Prometheus,” adding scenes with Fire (Philip Fletcher) weaving in the age-old story of a titan who steals fire from the gods to give to humans to advance their civilization and is brutally punished by the gods for this act.

The production features a top-notch cast who impart meaning through the smallest gesture or grand physical feats. Every movement serves the storytelling.

Vato Tsikurishvili as The Creature evolves from a raw, new, naïve being who uses his intellect to quickly observe and build new abilities. He seeks connection but his physical form drives away those he encounters. Tsikurishvili balances physical prowess with emotional depth.

Alex Mills as Prometheus, the doctor and creator, is a forceful counterbalance to his creation, The Creature. Prometheus builds from a place of loss and yearning. He exists in a desolate world where the joy of connection can lift and then sputter out in an instant.

Linking the two is Gaia (Maryam Najafzada) whose spark and light is extinguished with the loss of her child. As a result she moves through the world damaged, blinded and hollow. Both The Creature and Prometheus seek to connect and bring her back.

Philip Fletcher’s Fire powerfully bookends key scenes. These sections bring new energy, power and bravado to the stage, shifting the atmosphere from desolation to crackling vitality. The movements in Fletcher’s scenes borrow from martial arts, cirque and more. They are among the most memorable and powerful moments of the show.

The production’s ensemble, Tony Amante, Stella Bunch, Nata-Mael Gray, Liam Klopfenstein and Kaitlyn Shifflett, are essential to the work. We first see them carving an existence in the sheer cliffs and raw landscape. As villagers they repel The Creature’s advances. As mythological creatures they empower Fire. As humans they give us pause.

Because there is no dialogue, all of the theatrical elements carry greater weight. The score by resident composer and sound designer Koko Lortkipanidze is nearly a character unto itself. It is full, evocative and varied.

Phil Charlwood’s scenic and props design delivers us to the stark and elemental mountains, the fire and myth the Caucasus-based artistic team drew upon. The set was spare and functional, allowing actors to scramble and scale it.

Brian S. Allard’s lighting design merged with Zavier Augustus Lee Taylor’s projections to effectively set the mood.

Erik Teague’s steampunk costumes featured salvaged rags of a desperate community. Yet there are pops of color – especially Fire’s vivid skirt and spiky helmet – that offset the doctor and his contemporaries.

Compelling as it is, the storytelling and pacing need a trim. Yes, there is a lot of plot to deliver but the individual scenes could be tighter and still deliver the same emotional impact and move the story along. This is a technically proficient show, but there were times it lagged. Perhaps it’s that for those of us who are great fans and frequent attendees, the Synetic shows feature similar plots, similar casts and similar movement vocabulary.

Yet no other DC-area theatre company has such a unique approach to storytelling and such accomplished artistry. Synetic’s brand-new interpretation of “Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus” highlights the company’s originality, physical strength, emotional depth and assured artistry. It is a unique new interpretation that shouldn’t be missed.

Runtime: 95 minutes with no intermission.

FRANKENSTEIN; OR THE MODERN PROMETHEUS directed by Paata Tsikurishvili. The show is produced by Synetic Theatre at Thomas Jefferson Theatre, 125 S Old Glebe Rd., Arlington, VA 22204. It runs through November 23 with performances Thursdays – Saturdays at 7:30 pm, Saturdays at 1:30, Sundays at 3:00. For tickets, special programming, attendance policies, and further information visit the company's website.