Blackeyed Theatre brings a stage version of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein to Scarborough's Stephen Joseph Theatre - tickets on sale now

Blackeyed Theatre’s acclaimed production of Frankenstein comes to the stage at Scarborough’s Stephen Joseph Theatre next month as part of a national tour.
By Sue Wilkinson
Published 7th Jan 2022, 10:58 BST
Updated 10th Jan 2022, 13:03 BST

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Adapted by Nick Lane from John Ginman’s original 2016 adaptation, Frankenstein can be seen at the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough from Wednesday February 9 to Saturday February 12Adapted by Nick Lane from John Ginman’s original 2016 adaptation, Frankenstein can be seen at the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough from Wednesday February 9 to Saturday February 12
Adapted by Nick Lane from John Ginman’s original 2016 adaptation, Frankenstein can be seen at the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough from Wednesday February 9 to Saturday February 12

Adapted by Nick Lane from John Ginman’s original 2016 adaptation, Frankenstein can be seen in the Round from Wednesday February 9 to Saturday February 12.

In Geneva in 1816, Victor Frankenstein obsesses in the pursuit of nature’s secret, the elixir of life itself. But nothing can prepare him for what he creates, and so begins a gripping life or death adventure taking him to the ends of the earth and beyond.

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As well as featuring live music and ensemble storytelling, Blackeyed Theatre’s highly theatrical telling of Shelley’s gothic masterpiece is unique for its use of Bunraku-style puppetry to portray The Creature.

Billy Irving is chief puppeteer and the voice of the Creature in the stage version of Gothic novel FrankensteinBilly Irving is chief puppeteer and the voice of the Creature in the stage version of Gothic novel Frankenstein
Billy Irving is chief puppeteer and the voice of the Creature in the stage version of Gothic novel Frankenstein

Designed and built by Yvonne Stone - Warhorse, His Dark Materials - the 6ft 4in puppet, operated by up to three actors at any one time, adds an exciting new dimension to the retelling of the classic story.

The role of Victor Frankenstein will be played by Robert Bradley, Max Gallagher returns to reprise the role of Henry Clerval, while the role of Robert Walton is played by Benedict Hastings.

Billy Irving is chief puppeteer and the voice of the Creature, while recent Rose Bruford graduate Alice E Mayer makes her professional stage debut as Elizabeth Lavenza.

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Director Eliot Giuralarocca says: “For me, the beauty and excitement of theatre is that it is live, unfolding in front of an audience as they watch, and the decision to make the creature a life-sized puppet – beautifully and painstakingly made by Yvonne Stone – seemed to fit perfectly with this approach.

“Frankenstein is obsessed with re-animating dead matter by finding the spark of creation, the ‘elixir of life’. We bring our creature to life theatrically, animating, manipulating and breathing life into the puppet right in front of the audience and in doing so I hope we present a lovely theatrical metaphor for the act of creation in the story itself and give audiences the chance for audiences to share in that creation.”

Frankenstein can be seen at the Stephen Joseph Theatre at 7.30pm on Wednesday February 9 and Friday February 11 ; at 1.30pm and 7.30pm on Thursday February 10 and at 2.30pm and 7.30pm on Saturday February 12. ]

Tickets, priced from £10, are available from the box office on 01723 370541 and online at www.sjt.uk.com

Related topics:Stephen Joseph TheatreScarborough