Last night BBC3 broadcast “Frankensteins Wedding: Live in Leeds”, a bizarre incorporation of a contemporary adaption of the dramatical climax of the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, a pop concert, a musical and a piece of modern/experimental theatre. The setting is the Frankenstein family home, Kirkstall Abbey in Leeds with a stage where a lot of the character interaction takes place (and for some reason most of the main characters seem to feel the need to burst into a rousing pop song whenever they walk onto it) and a screen in the grounds, showing the action that takes place elsewhere in the Abbey.
I’m a pretty big fan of the Frankenstein story, having read the original novel about three times and also having seen several different film adaptions (including the Universal classic, both versions done by Hammer and the recent(ish) Kenneth Brannagh film). How well versed the audience was before this performance is anyones guess, but they do seem to enjoy it immensely (even if they’re woo’s and catcalls can be a little distracting and inappropriate during tense moments).
A lot of the usual themes are successfully integrated into this production, the obsessive nature of Frankenstein, the overriding theme of the danger of unhindered and unregulated scientific progress, the Creatures loneliness and pain caused by his rejection, and his longing for a companion to love him.
The theme that seems to be missing is the Creatures childlike nature. In most other productions the creature isn’t evil, but a very strong child who does not understand his environment or actions. Even the horrific act of murdering a child in the other versions is justified to an extent by it being caused by a naivety or misunderstanding on his part, but in this it seems to be nothing more than a malevolent act to hurt Victor – making it very hard to like or empathise with him.
Visually the surroundings and theatrical concepts used are very effective (of particular note are the projected graphics of blood running down the walls of the abbey) and it helps make this contemporary science fiction tale have the gothic horror feel of the Frankenstein story.
To sum up, I think it was a brilliant experimental production and something the BBC should do again. If you have chance to watch it, please do so!
iPlayer link (valid until 1/4/2011): http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00z0dn4/Frankensteins_Wedding…_Live_in_Leeds/
Cast:
Giles – Gary Carr
Victor – Andrew Gower
Creature – David Harewood
Detective – Michael Higgs
Henry – Andrew Knott
Policeman – Anthony Lewis
Uncle Fred – Pearce Quigley
Justine – Jemima Rooper
Elizabeth – Lacey Turner
Alphonse – Mark Williams
Show info and video diaries: http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/pages/frankensteinswedding