Set in the Villa Diodati on the night of the storytelling competition that birthed Frankenstein; David Catlin’s original adaptation anchored the classic tale in the life of its author Mary Shelley. A band of five friends personify all of the characters, as Mary conjures Victor Frankenstein and his creature, drawing inspiration from the loss and pain in her own life.
In telling this epic story with a cast of 5 in a single static scenic environment the production allowed audiences to connect more personally with the story. All design areas worked with strong but simple gestures to enhance the productions use of sweeping movement sequences and poetic imagery. Simultaneously, the design worked to support the many layers of narrative storytelling – from the confinement of the Villa, to the cold open bareness Arctic where a dying Victor Frankenstein recounts his tale, as well as the many locations and emotional spaces of the original story.
As a production taking place in the final months before the global pandemic, this design brought a community together around a campfire to hear a ghost story. These moments of connection were RARE in the time before the pandemic, but now are even more appreciated.
Production Credits
Lookingglass Theatre Company
Playwright and Director – David Catlin
Choreographer – Sylvia Hernandez-Distasi
Scene Design – Dan Ostling
Costume Design – Sully Ratke
Lighting Design – William Kirkham
Sound Design – Rick Sims