This post includes affiliate links. When you purchase through these links, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. For full details, please see our affiliate disclosure page.
A unique sort of stage production, Stratford Festivals’s Frankenstein Revived is a dialogue-free drama that tells its story through music and movements. The idea here is that Revived is both a retelling of the novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus AND an exploration of author Mary Shelley’s experience writing the story.
This layered storytelling is interesting in theory, but I feel that maybe more should have been done to make Shelley stand out. I think back to Stratford’s 2018 production of To Kill A Mockingbird; where the storyteller, an adult Jean-Louise “Scout” Finch, was the only character clothed in vivid blue and green, whereas everyone else was dressed in drab, sepia-tone browns. Adult Scout stood out and made a visual impact on the storyline. Unfortunately, this was not the case of Shelly in Frankenstein Revived.
🏡 Where to Stay: Top Accommodations
🥾 Explore: Tours & Experiences
🚙 Hit the Road: Car Rental Deals
🛫 Get Away: Find Flight Deals
🎒 Shop: Travel Essentials
Written and directed by Morris Panych with music by David Coulter. In this particular performance, Doctor Frankenstein (usually played by Charlier Gallant) was played by the understudy Trevor Patt. Because there is no dialogue throughout the performance, I strongly suggest you read the synopsis, director’s notes and program notes to understand the flow of the play. I can be very confusing if you don’t understand that Mary Shelly is both a character in the play as well as the focus of the play. Laura Condlln, as Mary Shelly, we excellent but Trevor Pratt and the creature, Marcus Nance did a fantastic job!
Stratford Festival’s Frankenstein Revived
In Frankenstein Revived l wonder what the director’s intent was behind Mary Shelly’s presence. That is to say, sometimes Shelley is on-stage, imperceptible to the creature and doctor she penned, seemingly guiding them like an invisible hand. In just as many scenes, however, Shelley is nowhere to be seen. I question whether there is any meaning to this, but it’s more likely that asking the actor playing Shelley (Laura Condlln) to perform for the entire play would be a very tall order.
After all, a dozen other actors, credited as “Elements”, serve a similarly invisible role, so it’s more like an orchestra performing without the need for a conductor. That analogy segues nicely into my biggest gripe with this production, and it’s a blame I cannot cast at the feet of any thespians on stage: my beef is with the composer.
Music… music is a beautiful thing. It can make you feel without showing you anything. It can drive action, enliven drama, and punctuate comedy to great effect. The music in Frankenstein Revived is… boring. A scene will start and a song will play, setting a stone-cold, serious mood. The music is repetitive, static and, for lack of a better word, disinterested in helping elevate the scene.
It sets a mood, and then it just plays; sometimes, it just stops for a second, before coming back in; the most boring way for music to build tension.
In ANY OTHER SILENT PRODUCTION, you would hear the music compliment the scene, speak the sounds of its world. So many times, Frankenstein Revived has the opportunity to do the same: shuffling percussion for the trickety-trock of a moving train, booming drums for the roar of thunder, church bells evoking the mere concept of holy matrimony! Frankenstein Revived does none of that.
The music is by-the-numbers generic: no interesting choices in instrumentation, arrangement, or tempo. Every song just sounds the same! Musicals that have words to work with make better use of music. Just like Victor Frankenstein, this play’s composition is mired with atrophy, and as such, the whole thing struggles to feel alive.
The performers do so much, and yet the score fails to match their vigour. This whole play has the mood of a musical that doesn’t want to be here. If you hate singing, you probably will enjoy Frankenstein Revived, but to be honest; I’d rather watch a play that isn’t so… taciturn.
Frankenstein Revived is playing at the Stratford Festival’s Avon Theatre until October 28, 2023.
- What’s Playing at Stratford in 2023
- One of the Best Plays at Stratford this year: Much Ado About Nothing – 2023
- Watch past productions of Stratford Festival online – Stratford@Home – 2020
- Richard III – 2022
- Little Shop of Horrors – 2019
- To Kill a Mockingbird – 2018
- Twelfth Night – 2017
- Theatre Do’s and Don’ts – It’s Simple Etiquette: Leave your candies at home
🥾 Explore: Tours & Experiences
🏡 Where to Stay: Top Accommodations
🚙 Hit the Road: Car Rental Deals
🛫 Get Away: Find Flight Deals
🎒 Shop: Travel Essentials