FRANKENSTEIN

 

 

by Anis and Anne-Hélène (Jan 28, 2006)

 

http://theatre.anglais.free.fr/

the actors: Roger (the monster & the professor), Joe (Frankenstein),Helen (all the other people), Leona (Elizabeth)


the audience

Our interview:   

 Introduction.

  Why did you choose to play Frankenstein?

  What's Mary Shelley's message?

  Are you famous actors in England?

  Why did you come to Blois?


On Wednesday 25th January , we went to the theatre, in Blois, to watch the play entitled « FRANKENSTEIN », adapted from Mary SHELLEY’s novel and Hollywood films. It was acted by four British actors.

The production :

We are in the 22nd century. Clones are everywhere and they want to take control of all humans, who can be saved… Their first creator is adored by them, Frankenstein, and that’s his story… This man lived all his happy childhood in Geneva, Switzerland, with his parents.

Frankenstein was interested in natural science and he wanted to learn all about the body, the mind, and the spirit of man, the secret of heaven, of earth.

That’s why his parents decided to send him to a university in Germany to complete his education. There, Frankenstein learnt everything, he was a very clever student, and his professor had a daughter whom Frankenstein especially loved, and he was loved in return. One day, Frankenstein & Elizabeth were surprised by Elizabeth’s father and….they decided to show how they could give life to a dead creature….

They killed a monkey and a snake and they tried to give life again to each one and it was a success… But Elizabeth’s father died, the snake killed him … and Frankenstein & Elizabeth decided to get married and Frankenstein swore to stop his attempts to give life.

But one day, Frankenstein changed his mind and he decided to create a man and give him life. So with the help of Igor, his assistant who gathered the pieces to create the man, and after several months, Frankenstein succeeded in giving him life and even consciousness….

The problem?! This “creature” was a hideous monster and nobody wanted him to stay in this world, and he was lonely, without any marks.

Unfortunately, he felt in love also with Elizabeth. Frankenstein ran away, looking for his monster… After some adventures, he decided to create a female for his monster. But, people were looking for them as well, because Frankenstein and his monster had killed people…. Elizabeth died and Frankenstein decided to give her life again!

 

What do we think about it?

It was quite interesting. It was on original interpretation of the Mary Shelley’s bestseller….. Cloning remains a present problem. We could wonder if Frankenstein’s creation was not a kind of cloning? Are we able to give life?

This story, which could seem very simple, is as a matter of fact a good reflection on life, on the darkness of humanity… Perhaps it’s just a symbol : actually people always want to go further, to challenge nature’s law, as in cloning, for instance… But it raises an important question : Are we allowed to create men and women? What will their future look like?

It’s the same for Frankenstein and his creature… He didn’t think that his creature would be a bad thing. He only saw the advantages and he thought about the drawbacks too late…

Moreover, this tale is a good reflection as well about humanity, appearances, the cruelty of people… If we look different from other people, should we be excluded?

This book was written two centuries ago, but the problems raised are still present… That’s also what makes the beauty of this book and of the play!

… And you, who know this story or saw the performance, what do you think about the message that Mary Shelley wanted to tell us? Or how did you find the production of the 25th January? What was good and what was less good?


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