By Gianina Turner: From the moment the audience entered the Rondo Theatre, the scene was already set. The characters were on stage and in role, immediately drawing us into the storm-darkened world of 1816.
At the centre was a pensive and enigmatic writer Mary Godwin, played superbly by Charlotte Spiller, notebook in hand. Throughout the performance, Mary jotted down ideas as they came to her. As she wrote, those ideas came to life on stage through the story of Victor Frankenstein and the Creature.
Created by WhimsiCo Productions and written and directed by Lottie Dance, Mary’s Frankenstein is a fresh take on Mary Shelley’s gothic novel. It brings together the story of five young writers gathered at Villa Diodati during the famously bleak summer of 1816 with the fictional world Mary begins to create.
One of the production’s greatest strengths is the clever interweaving of these two worlds. We see Mary developing her story while Victor Frankenstein, Elizabeth and the Creature emerge from her imagination around her. The characters move between these worlds remarkably effectively and the actors switch roles seamlessly as the storylines cross.
Laurence Tuck is compelling as both Lord Byron and Victor Frankenstein, while Liam Green gives a powerful and memorable performance as the Creature. Green is particularly impressive during the Creature’s monologues. Rather than presenting him simply as a monster, these moments reveal his struggle to understand the world into which he has been brought, his search for meaning and, ultimately, his longing for connection and love. He is engaging, unsettling and, at times, frightening.
Beneath the gothic horror is a story about grief, ambition, rejection and the very human need to love and be loved.
The intimate setting of the Rondo works especially well, with smoke creating a foggy, eerie atmosphere that adds to the production’s gothic feel. At times the action becomes breathtakingly intense, with the audience close enough to feel drawn into both Mary’s imagination and the increasingly disturbing world she creates.
The production is also strengthened by its atmospheric design. Lottie Dance’s production design, Alex Latham’s lighting and Brodie Marshall’s sound help the two worlds merge, adding tension and intensity as Mary’s story unfolds.
From beginning to end, Mary’s Frankenstein is captivating, inventive and full of surprising turns. Dark, intense and terrifyingly enjoyable, it offers a clever new way of experiencing a story that has fascinated readers for more than two centuries.
Mary’s Frankenstein runs at the Rondo Theatre, Bath, until 14 November. Running time is approximately two hours, including an interval, and the recommended age is 13+. For details and tickets visit: https://rondotheatre.co.uk/marys-frankenstein/
Lead photo: Scene from Mary’s Frankenstein at Rondo Theatre. Photo: Lottie Dance