WEBLINKS
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FACTS
| Excerpt of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
The Preface
THE event on which this fiction is founded has been supposed, by Dr. Darwin, and some of the physiological writers of Germany, as not of impossible occurrence. I shall not be supposed as according the remotest degree of serious faith to such an imagination; yet, in assuming it as the basis of a work of fancy, I have not considered myself as merely weaving a series of supernatural terrors.
The event on which the interest of the story depends is exempt from the disadvantages of a mere tale of spectres or enchantment. It was recommended by the novelty of the situations which it developes; and, however impossible as a physical fact, affords a point of view to the imagination for the delineating of human passions more comprehensive and commanding than any which the ordinary relations of existing events can yield.
I have thus endeavoured to preserve the truth of the elementary principles of human nature, while I have not scrupled to innovate upon their combinations.
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 |  | Frankenstein: A truly Monstrous Experiment at Warwick Arts Centre, reviewed by site user Molly Rogers
Forkbeard Fantasy's production of Frankenstein is a strange creature. Very much like the monster Mary Shelley created in 1816, it is made up of bits and pieces, held together by nuts and bolts and the sheer will of its creators.
This brings us to their latest production.
Frankenstein: A Truly Monstrous Experiment tells the tale of one David G Scrivener, a Frankenstein scholar who finds himself in the good doctor's shoes.
Scrivener's vanity he dreams of one day starring in his own biopic leads him to believe that he of all people has the ability to create a bride for the lonely and rather nasal monster, who, after all, has an ear sewn onto his face where his nose should be.
Along the way the audience is also introduced to Mary Shelley, her irritating little husband Percy, Lord Byron, Count Obladee who suspects Scrivener of stealing the town's holy relic, the spark of life and, of course, Igor.
Passing between the media of film, video and live performance, the function of each character goes beyond his or her responsibility for delivering a portion of the plays narrative, to fulfil a part of the playΓs mechanism.
In a production where humans interact with projected images and the set rotates to reveal a developing scene, timing is everything.
This constant need to meet the demands of the surrounding apparatus, however, drains some of the life from the story and detracts from what is otherwise a thoughtful treatment of the Promethean myth.
There is no denying that Frankenstein is a clever and inventive piece of theatre, but its creators have overlooked the monsterΓs soul in favour of mechanical precision.
Forkbeard Fantasy
The brainchild of brothers Chris and Tim Britton, Forkbeard Fantasy was formed in 1974.
Since then joined by Penny Saunders, and with the added talents of other actors, animators, sculptors and technicians, the troupe has travelled the country to spread its particular form of theatrical mayhem.
Blending comedy, theatre, film, animated sets and gadgets, their productions fall outside any traditional category of the performing arts.
Forkbeard FantasyΓs particular form of inventiveness is touched with more than a shade of creative madness.
Frankenstein is on at Warwick Arts Centre on Friday 15 and Saturday 16 November at 7.30pm.
Follow the link on the left to Warwick Arts Cente's website to book tickets for the performance.
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