The 'Frankenstein' Stage Adaptation Is Fantastic

The 2011 Frankenstein stage adaptation written by Nick Dear and directed by Academy Award winner Danny Boyle was something I wanted to see for years.  I knew that this production had a live filming since it was part of the National Theatre Live programme, in which it had limited cinema screenings in the past, and I had seen footage of it from trailers.

And, at long last, from April 30, 2020 (May 1, 2020 in my time zone), it was made available for a week on Youtube, so I finally got to see it – both versions of it.

The biggest draw of this play – at least, in my case – is it’s headlined by Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller.  What’s remarkable of this pairing is that both have played the Sherlock Holmes of a TV series that reimagines the Victorian detective for the 21^st century – the former being Sherlock, and the latter being Elementary.  At that time I first learned of this play, both TV shows were ongoing, and I was following and enjoying both.  So, yeah, to see a “Sherlock Holmses teamup” of sorts was what primarily attracted me to this play.

Another immediately interesting aspect of this stage adaptation is that, during its three-month run, Cumberbatch and Miller took turns playing Victor Frankenstein and the Creature (i.e. Frankenstein’s Monster).  Meaning, one would play Victor and the other would play the Creature for a show, and then, on the next show, they would switch roles.  Pretty cool, right?

And this isn’t just a gimmick.  Each one truly has his own distinctive take with each character.  Each one’s portrayal has its own unique nuances.  On Victor Frankenstein, Cumberbatch is more supercilious, while Miller is more conceited.  On the Creature, Cumberbatch is more childlike, gloomy, and impaired, while Miller is more livid and controlled.  As a result, one can enjoy watching the two versions subsequently even though they’re basically the same 2-hour play – as I did.

Moreover, the two actors alternating between two characters provide poetic flair.  The arrangement somewhat mirrors the thematic contrasts and parallels of their intertwining acts.  It also explicitly declares that, in this story, the monster and the victim are interchangeable.

This stage adaptation takes the Creature’s POV, and by doing so, it cuts a lot from the plot of the book.  There are also several significant plot point changes. These make the narrative more efficient (I read the novel, and it feels bloated at times), but not less impactful.  In fact, other than the original 1818 science fiction horror novel by Mary Shelley, this could probably be the most cerebral and philosophical presentation of this story.

One last thing I love about this play is, well, the fact that it’s a play.  I got to see the kind of aesthetics and technical aspects that’s unique to its medium.  Since it can’t use editing and CGI, it has to rely on striking props and creative techniques to transition from one setting to the next, simulate environment, and deliver set pieces.  And it’s just so wonderful to behold.

Truly, there’s no doubt that this play is one of the best Frankenstein adaptations ever – if not the best.