Download ABOUT ENSEMBLE THEATRE National tour of MARY SHELLEY`S

ABOUT ENSEMBLE THEATRE
Formed in 1958, Ensemble Theatre is the longest continuously running professional theatre
company in Australia, with a 52 year history of maintaining the highest standards in theatrical
presentation. The company has toured many productions around Australia, including TUESDAYS
WITH MORRIE which won the 2011 Drover Award for Best Touring Production, HALPERN AND
JOHNSON with Garry McDonald and Henri Szeps and SIX DANCE LESSONS IN SIX WEEKS with Nancye
Hayes and Todd McKenney which won the 2007 Helpmann Award for Best Regional Touring
Production.
National tour of MARY SHELLEY’S FRANKENSTEIN in a brand new stage
adaption by Nick Dear
FRANKENSTEIN is an astonishing new adaption of Mary Shelley’s classic tale by British playwright
Nick Dear, and was a smash hit for the National Theatre in London when it premiered there in 2011.
There have been close to 100 film and theatrical adaptions of Frankenstein since Mary Shelley’s
novel was published anonymously back in 1818.
Ensemble Theatres’ Artistic Director Mark Kilmurry is directing this Australian Premiere production.
He has assembled a fabulous cast including Lee Jones as The Creature, Katie Fitchett as Victor
Frankenstein’s fiancé Elizabeth and the Female Creature, Andrew Henry as Victor Frankenstein,
Brian Meegan as Victor’s father, Monsieur Frankenstein, Michael Ross as a blind man De Lacey plus
Olivia Stambouliah and Michael Rebetzke as various other townspeople including prostitutes,
beggars, peasants, servants and policemen.
The play will feature original music by award winning Australian composer Elena Kats-Chernin
written for solo cello played live during the show, by Heather Stratford. The production will
premiere at the Sydney Opera House from March 27 then play at Ensemble Theatre from April 17
through to May 4 then tour nationally for three months starting in Canberra from May 7 then
touring to various venues through Victoria, Tasmania, Qld and NSW finishing up in Wollongong on
Aug 10.
TOP 5 KEY POINTS:
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Australian premiere
London production of Frankenstein was a huge hit / sell-out success
Exciting young cast of newcomers
Live musicians onstage and music composed especially for the production
Modern adaptation of a classic literature text
BEST REVIEW QUOTES FROM 2011 LONDON NATIONAL THEATRE
PRODUCTION:
‘Brilliant … astonishing … a humane, intelligent retelling of the original story’ - The Guardian UK
‘Taut, fiercely focused … extraordinarily haunting’ - The Independent
‘Unique and brave … enormously emotional and hugely compelling … virtuoso stuff’ - London
Theatre
WEBSITE REFERRAL LINKS:
More info: http://ensemble.com.au/whats-on/play/frankenstein/
Video links: www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPiq4FvAE1U,
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfw0ONUuFn4
Link to short interview with playwright Nick Dear:
http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/video/nick-dear-on-frankenstein
Link to 47 minute interview with playwright Nick Dear and director Danny Boyle filmed for British TV:
http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/video/danny-boyle-and-nick-dear-on-frankenstein
MARK KILMURRY: DIRECTOR’S NOTE REGARDING STAGING THE PLAY
A troupe of actors arrive to put on a play of Frankenstein. These actors dance, juggle, act,
tumble. They set the bare stage: a scenic design capturing the gothic darkness of Mary Shelley’s
novel; flaming torches light the back walls; actors exit and enter the acting circle, while other actors
watch their scenes; make up is applied; blood, dirt; a cello player, half human, half creature plays
stirring music; the creature comes to life in a burst of light and steam; the images of anatomy flash
on back walls; heartbeats pound in the darkness… another flash of light … the creature tries to
speak! And the play begins…
Fast, furious, dynamic, dark, funny, cheeky, scary, compelling… Frankenstein.
MORE DETAILED PLAY INFORMATION:
Thrilling, moving, scary and beautiful – a man born as an adult has to survive on his wits, learning
fast. This is a rollercoaster ride of a story, fast, furious, haunting and entertaining… a Frankenstein
with a mission.
The Creature is cast out by his creator, the young doctor Frankenstein, and unleashed upon the
world. He is shunned for his grotesque appearance and spurned by society wherever he goes. When
a blind man takes Frankenstein’s monstrous creation under his wing and educates him, the Creature
begins to question his existence and to yearn for a future without loneliness. His search for a lifelong
partner brings him back to his maker, with vengeance foremost in his mind.
Ensemble Theatre has gathered together a dynamic young cast of actors who, along with a live
musician, will take to the stage in the Australian Premiere of this classic gothic drama.
‘Frankenstein is an astonishing adaptation and it was a huge hit for the National Theatre in 2011.
The play gives the Creature a voice – this is a Creature that talks, that can be articulate about the
way he feels – and the way he feels is very angry. We’ve got some exciting young talent on stage in
this piece with Elena Kats-Chernin doing original music. Being a film horror buff from way back, I’m
very excited about doing this play – it’s going to be something very scary indeed.’ - Director Mark
Kilmurry
BRIEF HISTORY OF Mary Shelley’s FRANKENSTEIN taken from a BBC interview
with Playwright Nick Dear:
Mary Shelley began writing the story of Frankenstein when she was just 18 years old. The novel was
published anonymously in 1818, and quickly found its way into theatres in the 1820s.
There have been almost 100 theatrical and film adaptations since, with Frankenstein's creature
played - among others - by Boris Karloff, Christopher Lee, Dave Prowse and Robert De Niro.
"We all think we know the story," says Dear, "but that's
mainly to do with knowing the movies. Most of the movies
have a very different agenda."
Playwright Nick Dear and Director Danny Boyle (of the movie Slumdog Millionaire fame) began
discussing the idea of staging Frankenstein in the early 1990s while working together on The Last
Days of Don Juan at the Royal Shakespeare Company. Dear worked on some early drafts, but the
project was shelved when Kenneth Branagh's film came along in 1994. "I kept it on the backburner
and Danny went off and became very famous," says Dear, whose theatre credits include The Art of
Success and Power.
The project was rejuvenated in 2004. "I knew I wanted to do Mary Shelley's book justice. The book
has a catalogue of ideas stemming from the radical philosophy of the time it was written. I wanted
to put that on the stage, not to focus on the scary horror elements of it.
"We keep it roughly in period, the story doesn't in any major sense deviate from what she wrote,
though I've had to cut great chunks of it.
"My hope is that if Mary Shelley popped into row G in the stalls she'd recognise what she wrote."
At the heart of of Shelley's story are themes of scientific responsibility, parental neglect and the
nature of good and evil. But the eloquent creature of Shelley's story is, in many movies, reduced to
a lumbering, inarticulate monster. Dear points out the novel contains a 40-page monologue where
the creature describes his coming to life, education, growing sense of injustice - and desire for
revenge.
SEMI-NUDITY & SEX SCENE
The semi-nudity and sex scene in Frankenstein is subject to change in rehearsal, but director Mark
Kilmurry expects to include the following scenes as written in the script: The Creature (played by
Lee Jones) is “born” in the first 10 minutes of the play so theoretically should be naked. Mark has
decided that the actor will wear a skin coloured loin cloth, wrapped like mummy bandages around
his genitals, so will not in fact be naked for this scene, but semi-naked. The rest of his body will be
unclothed.
The Female Creature (played by Katie Fitchett) is semi-naked for a much shorter scene, and stands
quite still on the stage for a few minutes only. Once her character is “born” she doesn’t actually
“wake up”, so she stands quite still, and this scene is shorter, only 3 - 4 minutes. Mark plans for her
to wear a see through light cotton or muslin cover, so the nudity is not full frontal, just suggested.
The sex scene is actually at the end of the play, the Creature, and Female Creature are now fully
clothed, but there is a simulated scene where he rapes her then breaks her neck, killing her. Mark
intends to make it as least graphic and tastefully done as possible, so he is not planning for it to be
shockingly grotesque, but he has to warn audiences that it will still be graphic, it is a rape and
murder, but he is very conscious of audience reactions so it will be done tastefully.
FRANKENSTEIN by NICK DEAR
Adapted from the classic novel by Mary Shelley
COMPANY LIST:
Director: Mark Kilmurry
Designer: Simone Romaniuk
Lighting Designer: Nick Higgins
Cello: Heather Stratfold
Original Music: Elena Kats-Chernin
Cast includes: Katie Fitchett, Andrew Henry, Lee Jones, Brian Meegan, Michael Rebetzke, Michael
Ross and Olivia Stambouliah
LIST OF CHARACTERS as per the script:
The Creature (Lee Jones)
Victor Frankenstein – a scientist (Andrew Henry)
Gretel – a prostitute (Olivia Stambouliah)
Gustav – a beggar (Michael Rebetzke)
Klaus – a beggar
De Lacey – a blind man (Michael Ross)
Felix – his son (Michael Rebetzke)
Agatha – his daughter-in-law
The Female Creature (Katie Fitchett)
Elizabeth Lavenza - Victor’s fiancé (Katie Fitchett)
Clarice – her maid
William Frankenstein – Victor’s brother
Monsieur Frankenstein – Victor’s father (Brian Meegan)
Ewan – an Orkney islander
Rab – his nephew (Michael Rebetzke)
A Constable (Michael Rebetzke)
Townspeople of Ingolstadt
Servants of the Frankenstein household
The supporting cast will all play multiple roles.
COMPANY BIOGRAPHIES:
PLAYWRIGHT – NICK DEAR
Nick Dear’s plays include Lunch in Venice (National Theatre Connections 2005), Power (National
Theatre, 2003) The Villain’s Opera (National Theatre, 2000) Zenobia (Royal Shakespeare Company,
1995) In The Ruins (Bristol Old Vic, 1990), Food of Love (Theatre de Complicite, Almeida, (1988), The
Art of Success (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1986), Pure Science (Royal Shakespeare Company,
1986), and Temptations (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1984). He also collaborated with Peter Brook
on the development of Qui est la? (Bouffes du Nord, 1996). His adaptions include The Promise (after
Arbuzov, Tricycle, 2002), Summerfolk (after Gorky, National Theatre, 1999) Le Bourgeois
Gentilhomme (after Moliere, National Theatre, 1992) The Last Days of Don Juan (after Tirso de
Molina, Royal Shakespeare Company, 1990) and A Family Affair (after Ostrovsky, Cheek by Jowl,
1988). His screenplays include Persuasion, The Turn of the Screw, Cinderella, The Gambler, Byron,
Eroica, and Agatha Christie’s Poirot. Opera libretti include The Palace in the Sky (ENO/Hackney
Empire, 2001) and Siren Song (Almeida Opera Festival,
1994). He has also written extensively for BBC Radio,
beginning with his first play, Matter Permitted (1980).
NOVELIST - MARY SHELLEY
Mary Shelley, born in London in 1797, was the daughter of the writer and social reformer William
Godwin and the pioneering feminist Mary Wollstonecraft. She went to the Continent with the poet
Shelley in 1814, and became his second wife two years later. Frankenstein, her first and best-known
novel, was published in 1818. She returned to England after Shelley’s death in 1822, and published
three further novels before her own death in 1851.
DIRECTOR – MARK KILMURRY
Mark has directed and acted in many productions. Ensemble directing credits include RED, THE
SPEAR CARRIER, SKYLIGHT, NOTHING PERSONAL, WARNING: EXPLICIT MATERIAL, CASANOVA (also
adaptor), LAST OF THE RED HOT LOVERS, MURDERERS, ANIMALS OUT OF PAPER, AND THE COW
JUMPED OVER THE MOON (also writer), ABIGAIL’S PARTY, LITTLE NELL, TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE,
MARY STUART, YOU TALKIN’ TO ME? DIARY OF AN OLYMPIC CABBIE (also adaptor), THE BUSY
WORLD IS HUSHED, HALPERN & JOHNSON, DERRIDA IN LOVE, THEY’RE PLAYING OUR SONG,
HAMLET, THE RETREAT FROM MOSCOW. Mark is the recipient of two Norman Kessell Memorial
Awards for an Outstanding Performance by an Actor for his roles in HAMLET and JAPES and was
awarded with the 2006 Hayes Gordon Memorial Award for Important Contribution to Theatre. Mark
is currently Artistic Director at the Ensemble Theatre.
DESIGNER – SIMONE ROMANIUK
Simone Romaniuk holds a Bachelor of Dramatic Art (Design) from the National Institute of Dramatic
Art (NIDA ) and a Bachelor of Design Studies from Queensland College of Art (QCA). She has worked
in film, television and for numerous performing arts companies. Set and costume design credits
include CASANOVA, MACBETH, WAITING FOR GODOT, THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED, EATING ICE
CREAM WITH YOUR EYES CLOSED, RUBY MOON, and BECKETT x 3 (Queensland Theatre Company);
THE CRUCIBLE and THYESTES (Sydney Theatre Company); THE MERRY WIDOW, THE MAGIC FLUTE
and SPACE ENCOUNTERS (Opera Queensland); HANSEL AND GRETEL (set design) and LA
SONNAMBULA (Pacific Opera); FRAGMENTS OF MEMORY, IF ONLY and FLIGHT (costume design)
(Expressions Dance Company); WAY TO HEAVEN and FAMILY STORIES: BELGRADE (Ride On/Griffin
Stablemates); THE MERCHANT OF VENICE (Ride On/B-Sharp); BONE, WEEPING WOMEN and THE
GIRL ON THE SOFA (Ride On); THE DISTANCE FROM HERE (Inscription/Griffin Stablemates);
COSI FAN TUTTE (Sydney Conservatorium of Music); UNIDENTIFIED HUMAN REMAINS (Curtin
University) and RANDOM PLAY : SHIFTED (Sydney Dance Company/NIDA ). Other credits include Art
Director on web series MURDER UNDER THE MICROSCOPE 2008 – 2011 and short films JED,
GOODBYE TIM and CELEBRITY HEAD; site designer for CREATIVE COMMUNITIES (Brisbane Festival
2010); graphic designer on AUSTRALIA (Bazmark feature film) and the 2006 Asian Games opening &
closing ceremonies; costume buyer on television series’ UNDERBELLY 2 (Nine), DANGEROUS (Foxtel)
and EAST WEST 101 (Series 1, SBS); and assistant costume designer on ABC series MY PLACE 2.
Upcoming productions include MAN EQUALS MAN, AN OA K TREE and THE REMOVALISTS
(Queensland Theatre Company).
LIGHTING DESIGNER – NICK HIGGINS
Since graduating from WAAPA’s production/design course, Nicholas has gained a wealth of
experience from working in all capacities on all genres of show. He has worked across all states and
with most theatre companies. The modern day Lighting Designer has to deal with more than just
lighting, and Nicholas’ background with computers and a developing career as a photographer and
cinematographer has helped him keep up with these new
and exciting developments. He is able to combine a Lighting
Designer’s eye with that of the A/V design, often creating the content. Recent works include:
NGAPARTJI NGAPARTJI ONE (Big hART), BIDDIES (CD Productions), RED and CASANOVA (Ensemble
Theatre), POXED (Tasmanian Theatre Company), RU4ME & THE MARIO LANZA STORY (Riverside
Theatres). He was also a mentor for the young filmmakers on a Big hART film project, SMASHED and
has made two documentaries for CHAC in Smithton, Tas. He was also the technical director and
director for the Wynyard High School’s national first production of a live to web Webcast of a
magazine style production.
CAST BIOGRAPHIES:
KATIE FITCHETT – Elizabeth Lavenza / Female Creature
Katie graduated from the Victoria College of the Arts (VCA) in 2003 and has since gone on to work
solidly in theatre, television and film. Her theatre roles include ALL ABOUT MY MOTHER for
Melbourne Theatre Company, CASANOVA, LITTLE NELL and A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE for The
Ensemble, ANTIGONE for Belvoir Theatre Company B, A VIEW OF CONCRETE and MISS JULIE for
Belvoir B Sharp, HOLDING THE MAN for Griffin Theatre at the Sydney Opera House, WALKABOUT
and REMEMBRANCE OF THINGS PAST for the Melbourne International Festival. She has appeared in
the television series SPIRITED, LEGEND OF THE SEEKER, ROGUE NATION, ALL SAINTS and as Emma
Darwin in the documentary/drama DARWIN’S BRAVE NEW WORLD. She has also appeared in the
Films BURNING MAN and HATING ALISON ASHLEY. Katie is also a graduate of The Australian Ballet
School.
ANDREW HENRY – Victor Frankenstein
Andrew Henry is an actor, singer and musician and graduate of the School at Steppenwolf . His
theatre credits include LENNY BRUCE: 13 DAZE UNDUG 1962, REASONS TO BE PRETTY at
Darlinghurst Theatre, A MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM for the School at Steppenwolf, THE CHRONIC
ILLS OF ROBERT ZIMMERMAN playing the multiple roles of Johnny Cash, John Lennon, T.S. Eliot, Bob
Dylan, Allan Ginsberg, Lee Harvey Oswald and Abe Lincoln for BITE – Best of Independent Theatre
which he then went on to play at the Adelaide Festival and Sydney’s Old Fitzroy Theatre, THE
SCHELLING POINT for Chester Productions, MODOTI at the Seymour Centre, he played John W
Hinckley and a vocalist for HAYDEN TEE IN GENERATION whY?, he appeared in CENTRE STAGE at
Parramatta Riverside and BIG DEAL for Off the Cuff. Television: THE CUT for ABC-TV. Film credits
include the short films WISH I’D BEEN HERE directed by Russell Crowe, 14.6.10 and NIRVANA BEACH
LIQUOR. This is his debut performance for Ensemble Theatre.
LEE JONES – The Creature
Lee graduated from Theatre Nepean in 2003. His theatre credits include LITTLE NELL, THE BUSY
WORLD IS HUSHED (Ensemble Theatre), KING LEAR and THE TEMPEST (Harlos Productions), THE
MERCHANT OF VENICE (Ride On/B Sharp), DUCK (Siren/B Sharp), TITUS THE MURDER BALLADS
MUSICAL, THE EUROPEANS (Darlinghurst Theatre), BABY WITH THE BATHWATER (Sidetrack), OUR
TOWN (New Theatre), LA MUSICA (Newtown Theatre), FIVE WAYS (Adelaide Fringe), A WINTER’S
TALE, A MOUTHFUL OF BIRDS, TALES FROM THE COUCH, ROAD, THE JUNGLE (Nepean). In 2007 Lee’s
voice was featured in Yoram Gross/Flying Bark’s animated feature film STREET FOOTBALL. Film work
includes: GUNADOO BAKERY, KRIEG, audition and video work for THE BUTCHER’S DAUGHTER; A
PORTRAIT.
BRIAN MEEGAN – Monsieur Frankenstein
Brian Meegan graduated from WAAPA in 1984. His theatre
credits include GLEN GARRY GLEN ROSS for the Western Australian Theatre Company and A
MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM for The Hole in the Wall Theatre Company. Brian has appeared in THE
ACT, MY WONDERFUL DAY, NINETY, ABIGAIL’S PARTY, CHAPTER TWO, ART, THE HEARTBREAK KID,
MACBETH, WRONG FOR EACH OTHER, ALARMS AND EXCURSIONS and THE BOYS NEXT DOOR for
Ensemble Theatre, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING for Shakespeare in the Park, HAMLET, HENRY IV,
OTHELLO and ANTHONY AND CLEOPATRA for Sydney Theatre Company and KING LEAR for The
Studio Company. Brian also co-wrote his own show, THE BOYS GOTTA BONK which toured nationally.
For television Brian has appeared in numerous programs and as a regular character, Colin Thompson
on GOING HOME for SBS. For the ABC he has appeared in MARKING TIME, CURTIN and the
miniseries DEVILS DUST. In 2009 Brian was in the telemovie A MODEL DAUGHTER - THE KILLING OF
CAROLINE BYRNE and in 2012 the UNDERBELLY series. Brian’s film appearances include PRIME
MOVER, $9.99, RISK and THE ILLUSTRATED FAMILY DOCTOR. Brian was Rehearsal Observer for
CASANOVA directed by Mark Kilmurry, and Assistant Director to Mark Kilmurry on SKYLIGHT and
RED.
MICHAEL ROSS – De Lacey and various
Michael’s many performances for Ensemble Theatre include the productions of FOUR FLAT WHITES
IN ITALY, CASANOVA, BROOKLYN BOY, AND THE COW JUMPED OVER THE MOON, MARY STUART,
DEATH OF A SALESMAN, BURNT PIANO, DERRIDA IN LOVE, OPERATOR, THE BOYS NEXT DOOR, HOW
I LEARNED TO DRIVE, MONEY AND FRIENDS, ROUGH JUSTICE, THE LAST YANKEE, MIXED EMOTIONS,
SIGHT UNSEEN, LIPS TOGETHER TEETH APART, MAN OF THE MOMENT, THE NORMAN CONQUESTS,
BLACK BALL GAME, and THE ELEPHANT MAN. Other theatre credits include EDUCATING RITA (Anna
Cottrell & Anna Crawford Productions), MACQUARIE (The Company of Others), THE CRUCIBLE and
THE HISTORY OF THEATRE (First Stage Theatre Company), MIRAGE/IMAGES and MRS GRABOWSKI’S
ACADEMY (Ordinary John Smith Productions). Michael’s television credits include CATALYST, ALL
SAINTS, CNNNN, HOME & AWAY, YOUNG LIONS, IHAKA: BLUNT INSTRUMENT, LAST PLANE OUT OF
BERLIN, BREAKERS, BIG SKY and he appeared in the film THANK GOD HE MET LIZZIE. A graduate of
the Ensemble Studios, Michael also holds a BA (UTS), MA (Macquarie University) and a PostGraduate Diploma in Counselling (Australian College of Applied Psychology).
OLIVIA STAMBOULIAH -
Olivia graduated from Theatre Nepean in 2004. Her theatre credits include the Sydney Theatre
Company's BAMBERT’S BOOK OF MISSING STORIES and the title roles in the Griffin Theatre
Company's highly successful season of REFERENCES TO SALVADOR DALI MAKE ME HOT, MEDEA, THE
VISIT and TAMING OF THE SHREW. Other theatre credits include ORESTES 2.0, PENTECOST, THE
EUROPEANS, CRAVE, KING LEAR and CHECKPOINT ZERO. Olivia's television credits include PACKED
TO THE RAFTERS (Seven Network), BEN ELTON’S LIVE FROM PLANET EARTH (Nine Network), MY
PLACE (ABC), DANGEROUS (Fox 8), CRIME INVESTIGATION AUSTRALIA (Nine Network), DANGEROUS
LIAISONS (SBS) and THE SILENCE (ABC). Olivia's film credits include the lead role in MY SISTER AND I
mentored by Jane Campion and pre-selected for Cannes in 2007 and April in July winning the Jury
Award at the New York Film Festival in 2008. Olivia is currently filming her recurring role as Voula in
the sixth season of PACKED TO THE RAFTERS (Seven Network).
MICHAEL REBETZKE -
Michael Rebetzke is a graduate of QUT with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting) 2009. His theatre credits
include GAMES IN THE BACKYARD for ATYP, BEN HUR for Southern Star/Stadium Australia, THE
ARABIAN NIGHTS, GOLDEN AGE, THE HYPOCHONDRIAC, MEMOIRS OF A PHYSICIAN, A MIDSUMMER
NIGHT’S DREAM, THE CHERRY ORCHARD, PEOPLE FALLING for QUT and THE DUMB WAITER for Vena
Cave Productions. Television credits include RESCUE
SPECIAL OPS. He has appeared in the short films LUKE AND
EMILY and INTREPID VOYAGE. Prior to his studies at QUT, Michael was a television presenter with
OUR TOWN BRISBANE on Briz 31 TV, and host of WAKE UP SHAKE UP BREAKFAST on 4ZZZ Radio in
Brisbane.
EDUCATIONS RESOURCES:
NOTES ON THE CHARACTERS (prepared by playwright Nick Dear)
VICTOR
The key to Victor is that he should be cast as young as possible. He is a postgrad student, we learn in
the book that he has spent six years at University in Ingolstadt. So if possible, cast an actor of 30 or
younger. This is true to the novel, and also a useful antidote to the ‘mad scientist’ in all the films.
Victor is the cleverest scientist of his generation. He is not, however, very good at normal social
intercourse. He should not look deranged – but he is odd! He does, he believes, love Elizabeth – but
perhaps he loves science more. He is a dreamer and a visionary, but also capable of prolonged hard
work.
DE LACEY
De Lacey is an intellectual and a radical thinker (follower of Rousseau). He has fallen on hard times,
and his family now scratch a living from the land. He has great compassion and a devotion to
learning and literature. It’s useful to present him as quite elderly.
FELIX AND AGATHA
I would suggest that Felix and Agatha have never really known the privileged University life that De
Lacey once enjoyed. At a young age, they have been forced to learn how to farm. Both of them,
particularly Felix, have begun to absorb the customs of the country, where fairies, devils and
monsters have some reality.
GUSTAV and KLAUS
They are beggars who live in the woods. Possibly ex-soldiers, they go from door to door in the towns
and villages, begging for food, and they trap what they can in the woods.
FEMALE CREATURE
In London we had a long debate as to whether the Female should exhibit the signs of being ‘worked
on’. As she first appears in a dream, we decided to keep this to a minimum, and present her as the
most beautiful creature that Victor, now learning his craft, could make. When she appears in the
Croft scene, she walks under her own volition, commanded by Victor – but she has no mental
powers – she has not been ‘turned on’ yet. We found that this worked better than having her totally
inanimate, and having to be lifted by the men. She appeared completely naked, as did the Creature
at the beginning, and this apparently presented no problem for the audience – we had no
complaints at all.
ELIZABETH
Elizabeth has a questing mind, but she is not Mary Shelley, nor is she a feminist. Her ambition is to
marry Victor, settle down and have children. She has waited a long time for this – she is patient and
kind. She and De Lacey are the only characters who show kindness to the Creature. In her
confrontation with him, Elizabeth is resourceful and brave, she should be about the same age as
Victor, or a little younger. She has known him since
childhood, and she understands that he is not an ordinary
man. She has religious faith, as do her Father and her maid Clarice. (Victor, of course, has, by his
work challenged the omnipotence of God.)
MONSIEUR FRANKENSTEIN
A bourgeois and a magistrate – a pillar of the local community. Victor’s behaviour is quite simply
beyond his understanding. He has been trying to bring up his family alone since the death of his wife
and something has gone terribly wrong, and he loses all of them. It is the tragedy of a simple man
who is caught up in great events.
CLARICE
Clarice should be older than Elizabeth. She is a ladies’ maid, and one of the family, having
presumably lived with them all her adult life. She is down to earth and sensible.
WILLIAM
Aged 9. (Ensemble Theatre will use a recorded voice only for this character).
EWAN and RAB
Scottish peasants. Ewan is older, Rab is his nephew. Ewan is self righteous, but actually prepared to
do anything for money. RAB has doubts, but must do as his uncle says. They are intended to bring
some comedy to the centre of a not-very-funny play.
THE CREATURE
How you represent the Creature is very much up to you. However, I would say that I think Victor has
tried to make him “in his own image.” Victor is a narcissist, and his ideal ‘creature’ will be one who
looks like him. But Victor is not yet very skilled. We decided, despite what Mary Shelley suggests,
that if you were building a man you would use a ‘complete’ physical shell – you would not sew
different arms and legs together. So for both the Creature and Female, any stitching should indicate
where internal organs have been fitted, rather than limbs.
I don’t think therefore, that the Creature should look like a freak. He is an attempt at a man that has
not quite worked. Given the very physical nature of the role, you will find that prosthetics will not be
a lot of help. The key to his ‘style’ is in movement and voice.