Title: Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein
Author: Lisa Evans
Date of First Publication: February 2008
Place of Publication: First performed at Northampton Royal & Derngate and Frantic Assembly
Type: Play
Characters: Adaptation
Themes: ANDROID; BYRONIC HERO; MAD SCIENTIST/MONSTER; POST HUMAN AND LAST MAN; QUEER FRANKENSTEIN; RACE/POLITICS; RETRO SF/STEAMPUNK; SYMPATHETIC MONSTER; WOMEN WRITING MONSTERS
Critical Summary: The play is a relatively faithful rendition of Mary Shelley’s original work, but interspersed with a second modern narrative. The play begins in a psych ward where a patient, Mary, has a dispassionate conversation with her sister, Hattie. Simultaneously in an unconnected scene, Victor Frankenstein is rescued in the North Pole by Robert Walton and recounts his past to him. Victor visits his mother, who makes him promise to marry his cousin Elizabeth before dying. Victor resolves to go to Ingolstadt University to study science. The focus jumps back to Mary and Hattie where it is revealed that Mary is considered to be a monster by the public.
Two years have passed since Victor left to pursue his studies. While his family write to him avidly, he creates a living monster. Victor is disgusted with and rejects his creation, which runs away. Victor becomes sick, but is nursed back to health by his friend Henry and then decides that he will go back home. In modern day, Mary and Hattie have a third conversation where Hattie reveals that Mary was recently in a legal trial.
Victor returns home only to discover that his younger brother William has been murdered. While the primary suspect is Justine, William’s for caretaker, Victor knows that the monster is guilty. Justine is brought to trial and then executed for the crime.
Victor later meets with the monster in the Swiss mountains. The monster tells him about his rejection by the De Lacey family and his murder of William. He blames Victor for his isolated misery and demands that he make him a mate, threatening to kill the rest of Victor’s family. Victor agrees and leaves for Britain with Henry. Hattie brings Mary a Christmas CD for the holidays and yells at her for stealing a bookmark that belonged to their deceased mother.
On the Orkney Isles of the coast of Scotland, Victor hesitates to finish his second creation. As soon as lightning brings it to life, he strangles it. Having witnessed this, the monster angrily warns Victor that he will be with him on his wedding night. Mary breaks the CD and uses the shards to cut herself.
Some time later, Victor is told that Henry has been killed, and that Victor is blamed for the murder. Victor’s father arrives and is able to clear him of the crime. Elizabeth has come with him and Victor tells her that he will marry her soon. Their wedding night arrives, but the monster kills Elizabeth while Victor is away. The monster taunts him to travel to the North Pole. Mary confesses to Hattie that she locked her baby in a freezer to die. Victor finished telling his story to Walton and then dies. The monster grabs Victor’s body and makes a pyre for both of them.
In this interesting interpretation of Shelly’s work, the character Mary plays a central role to the theme. Like Victor she is the creator of something that she ultimately rejects. This play emphasizes the notion of the inner monster made manifest in Mary’s heinous act.
Administrative Notes: Jarrett Vargas, CSUF, Joshua Newman (editing); Sam Drake, CSUF (editing)