Adelaide Repertory Theatre Presents FRANKENSTEIN

2018 marks the 200th Anniversary of Frankenstein's publication. Mary Shelley was just 18 years old when she started writing it, and all of 20 by the time the first edition came out. Never out of print since, this enthralling tale of a mad scientist, who creates a grotesque but intelligent creature from assembled body parts is not only a seminal work of gothic horror, but also one of the earliest examples of science fiction literature. British author, Brian Aldiss (who would later write an unauthorised sequel - Frankenstein Unbound), is one of many literary luminaries to make the case that Shelley's book should be considered the very first science fiction novel, because it "turns to modern experiments in the laboratory" to inspire and rationalise its fantastic events. Giving rise to countless imitators, Frankenstein has also spawned hundreds of stage and screen adaptations over the years - probably the most well-known being James Whale's haunting 1931 movie version starring Boris Karloff in what would become an iconic interpretation of The Creature, and Kenneth Branagh's flashy 1994 film, which featured a sensitive "method" interpretation of Frankenstein's tragic creation from Robert De Niro.

On this landmark year for Frankenstein, The Adelaide Repertory Theatre is producing the South Australian premiere of Nick Dear's recent, critically-acclaimed stage adaptation. Written in 2011, this version previously enthralled London audiences in a lavish production directed by Danny Boyle (of Trainspotting and Slumdog Millionaire fame), starring rival TV "Sherlocks" Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller, which was filmed for a limited release in cinemas - where it also enjoyed considerable success.

Dear's play offers an intriguing perspective-flip. Beginning with the "birth" of The Creature (played by Steve Parker in The Adelaide Rep's production), the majority of the events are presented from his point of view. The play focuses on The Creature's quest for identity as he escapes from the laboratory and attempts to make his own way in the world before eventually meeting his maker (Patrick Clements). The horror in this telling of the story comes as much from its depiction of human prejudice and social injustice, as it does from The Creature's struggle to control his violent instincts.

"I'm sure many audience members will relate", says Parker of his character's emotional journey "We all start innocent, but it's not long before the realities of life place larger and harsher demands on ourselves. As the conflict between a personal desire to be loving and good grows with the outside world's constant bombardment of demands and petty harms we tend to, in the least, cut ourselves off, and at the extreme, to seek revenge. I want to emphasise that the creature did not start out as a villain but was made so by events and experiences beyond his control. Not as an excuse for his actions but perhaps as an explanation."

The focus upon The Creature, one of the most distinctive features of this adaptation, presented some unexpected challenges for Parker:

"I had decided to return to the stage about a year beforehand and was keeping an eye on the audition notices, but this was the first one which really grabbed my attention. I thought that the Creature in Frankenstein would be a nice support role with which to ease my way back into theatre. Little did I know it was the lead for this rendition of the play, but I gleefully jumped at the challenge once I read the full script. Before actual rehearsals started I began reading and re-reading the book and script several times and worked with some fellow actors on physicality, particularly for the early 'pre-language' scenes. As far as the mental preparation was concerned I had to revisit a lot of my early memories so I could base the character on true foundations. And of course, I went on a pretty intense diet and exercise regimen. I was 160kg when I was given this role and sit at about 142kg as I write this and hope to lose quite a bit more before opening night."

Despite this shift in perspective, the relationship between Victor and his creation still forms the linchpin of the play's dramatic conflict, or as director Kerrin White puts it:

"One of the ideas that recurs throughout the play is that Victor and the Creature are reflections of the other. I have worked with both actors previously and they have also worked together on other projects. There is a familiarity and ease which makes directing them a real pleasure. We have a good laugh at rehearsals which is vital when rehearsing material that at times is physically and emotionally challenging. Steve has an amazing physicality and stage presence as well as a deep and distinctive speaking voice. He is an actor who commands your attention when on stage. Patrick brings a cool arrogance to Victor in the early part of the play which makes his mental unravelling so much more powerful in Act II."

Indeed, this "mental unravelling" means that the good doctor does own many of the most unnervingly intense moments in the play, a process that Clements found highly electrifying:

"Victor's driving need is to beat death. Since the death of his mother at a young age he is obsessed with the concept of beating death. Why does God get to be the only one to play God? The emotional journey is interesting and fun to play in this version of the story, because we see Victor after the creation of the creature and he is disheveled and tortured by his failings and accomplishments. Now we get to follow him in his downward spiral of madness and obsession. It demands an ugly truth that I hope I can deliver."

To ensure that the show has a sufficiently gothic atmosphere, without sacrificing the human intimacy that is so vital to the drama, White has adopted a multimedia approach to the play's presentation:

"The set will be a mixture of construction, lighting and projections. As the play is almost filmic in its use of many locations and short scenes the spare sets will keep scene changes to a minimum and maintain the show's pace. The physical set will comprise of light, moveable constructions that can be shifted into different positions to represent other locations. We will be using projections and are also blessed to have Jason Groves' as our lighting designer. A soundscape by Brendan Taggart will heighten the atmosphere of each scene."

The choice of supporting players was also an integral part of White's game-plan, in reinforcing the themes of the play through recurrent visual motifs:

"A number of actors are playing multiple roles and this helps to emphasis the idea of mirror-images. Tom Carney is playing both De Lacey (mentor to the Creature) and Monsieur Frankenstein (father of Victor). Rosie Williams is both the Female Creature and Elizabeth Lavenza (fiancee to Victor)."

White, an Adelaide Rep veteran whose CV includes stage adaptations of Dracula and The Talented Mr Ripley, is confident that this production is true to the spirit of Mary Shelley, even as it provokes the audience to think about it in unexpected ways:

"Unlike other versions, this one is very faithful to Mary Shelley's original novel. While there are moments of humour, the playwright has taken the subject matter very seriously. This is material that can easily be sent up - and has been many times over the years. It is a fresh and faithful re-telling of the story. This is a play that examines what it is to be human. I hope that the audience is moved."

Frankenstein will be performed on April 5-7 and 11-14, 2018 at the Arts Theatre, 53 Angas St, Adelaide. All performances commence at 8pm, plus a 2pm matinee on Saturday 14th April. Book tickets at adelaiderep.com

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