Classic Stage Company ran Dracula and Frankenstein in repertory and as much as I wanted to see both, I was only able to catch Frankenstein. It’s interesting to see how companies try to make classic stories feel fresh and new. Classic Stage Company definitely brought something new to this production.
This adaptation is written by Tristan Bernays and is directed by Timothy Douglas. This is a minimal adaptation using only two actors and minimal costumes, props and set pieces. Rob Morrison is the chorus. He is the narrator and any other character that is needed to tell the story that isn’t Frankenstein or his monster. He also sets the mood using various stringed instruments. Stephanie Berry takes on the role of both Frankenstein and his creation.
The adaptation is also a short one. The production is only about 80 minutes long. A good chunk of that is dedicated to the monster learning how to talk. We see the monster trying to interact with the world around it while not being able to express itself. The monster points and interacts with the audience in order to learn new words.
Once the monster has learned how to speak, the action fully starts. Bernays has the monster and the narrator recite passages straight from the novel, so actual dialogue is minimal. The only time there is dialogue, rather than passages, is when the monster interacts with the few other characters. The only time this gets confusing is when Berry has dialogue between the two roles she plays. There was little distinction between Frankenstein and his creature.
This was an interesting take on a well known story. I enjoyed it, but I do wish there had been at least one more actor. That might have helped to clearly distinguish each character.
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