Frankenstein Live Theatre Flashcards
Intro
Digital performance of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley adapted by Nick Dear
Oliver stage of National Theatre on 17th March 2011
Explores themes of transformation alongside questioning the ethics of scientific discovery
Tells story of a scientist who created life via electricity and how his creation constantly pursues him against his will so is constantly disregarded.
We see the growth of Creature as his human-like abilities progress and how his emotions and interactions develop throughout
The genre of the play is a gothic thriller
This will be portrayed with naturalistic set/sound/costume/lighting with brechtian elements designed by:
set = Mark Tildesley
sound = Ed Clarke
costume = Suttirat Larlab
lighting = Bruno Poet
Set in moment 1
Metal circle that has three different pieces of stretch fabric tied to the edges like a trampoline. It has a blurry image and stitchings. Thin rectangular carpet beneath. Carpet and pod both beige.
Shape and colour makes it like womb
Large size and stitching of pod suggests abnormal creation - different to society from birth
Audience is uncomfortable
Large brown box-like structures (slightly flakey) with scaffolding on stage right and stage left
Associated with industrial workshop
Random, unsafe and incomplete - ever-growing nature of scientific discoveries + Frankenstein lack of order/control
Atmosphere of intrigue and confusion
Audience fell curious and fear for Creature safety/survival
Roughly 3,500 similarly shaped, small filament light bulbs hanging by wire from ceiling. Decreases in height near centre.
References idea of electricity being the basis for creature’s life - supernatural atmosphere
Metaphorically casts light (by being low in centre focusing audience attention) onto the inhumane Frankenstein experiment
Atmosphere of discovery
Audience feel disturbed but also in awe
How to do ‘why’ element of answer?
Keep justifications scene specific
Explain choice referring to:
setting
atmosphere/theme of specific scene
character motivation/emotion
audience reaction
Set in moment 2
Wide panoramic cyclorama is a stormy dark blue hue with bright white spots like stars.
Setting - cold, Arctic and night
Harsh weather links to tragic circumstances Frankenstein is in now - pathetic fallacy
Gloomy and melancholy atmosphere
Audience feel pity for Victor
Half of the drum revolve rises and spins slowly anti-clockwise centre stage
Venture of Frankenstein and Creature into the Arctic
Idea of chain together - if one lives, other cannot die
Slow speed shows ongoing pain, cycle of life
Enigmatic, foreboding atmopshere
Audience feel sympathetic for both
Wooden sled carrying boxes and bags attached with frayed rope. Place along track centre stage
Sled - Arctic expedition
Frayed rope + number of things - length of journey
Number of things - heavy to move, Frankenstein pain and exhaustion
Sluggish atmosphere
Audience compassion for Frankenstein and dislike towards Creature
Creature costume in moment 1
Poorly done stitches joining arms and legs to body - around shoulder and lower back
Made of different parts - unnatural birth
Disgust for audience because grotesque and disturbing
Sympathy because looks frail and pieced together
Empathy because so many stitches is painful
Nude except for ragged, torn loincloth which was once white but now dirty
Usually clean, sterile birth to ensure health but this one is unhygienic - Frankenstein disregard for Creature and also lack of knowledge/foresight
Audience feel sympathetic that he is mistreated from birth
Plethora of deep, bloody scars and uneven stitches on his bald head and neck.
Bald like innocent, newborn baby but contrasted by stitches and scars indicating abnormal, painful birth - audience disturbed
Audience dislike Frankenstein - prioritising scientific discovery over Creature’s wellbeing
Frankenstein costume moment 1
Black leather apron worn over his clothes
Associated with dirty work e.g. butcher - like chopping up dead bodies to create Creature
Durable nature shows extent of violence needed to make Creature
Audience feel troubled - Frankenstein is not like a normal scientist in a lab coat
White un-ironed linen button up shirt, 3 buttons undone, sleeves rolled up and collar folded up
Collar up protecting himself from Creature - fearful of own creation
Dirty, scruffy, flustered - does not care about appearance, happy to get dirty if completes actions - determined character
Expensive linen - privileged background which he disregards
Button up shirt - usually associated with formal (grand presentation of scientific discovery) but not how he imagined - shortsighted
Creature costume moment 2
Unbuttoned navy mohair tailcoat and dirty cyan linen waistcoat with collar turned up
Not too far off normal items of the time
Uncoordinated colours - items from points along long journey, Creature still lacks some human thinking ability
Arduous journey - dirty waistcoat
Collar turned up - protecting from harsh weather
Audience suprised - first time Creature is not wearing torn clothing
Barefoot with dirty feet
Still cannot fit into society - metaphor of the ‘shoe won’t fit’, despite long journey through many places where could get shoe, maybe he is not meant for this world (Frankenstein gave him no choice)
Audience sympathetic - such harsh conditions
Long diagonal scar down his torso, heart to right hipbone
Can never escape grotesque appearance - legacy of abnormal birth remains
Could represent evil deeds he has done - cannot escape them (human emotion of guilt)
Audience feel angry (reminded of his evil actions) but perhaps empathy (some of them also cannot remove past)
Frankenstein costume moment 2
Thick black leather jacket with brown fur hood and fur around chest. Bits of frost on jacket
Frost + fur + thick - Arctic cold
Need for so many layers makes audience satisfied and pitiful
Needs protection over cold-heart
Satisfied - Frankenstein suffering and now requires more protection than Creature, therefore is weaker so reversal of roles
Pitiful - fall from respected scientist and uni graduate to fighting death in arctic as if he were an uncivilised, wild animal
Black leather boots halfway up shin with fur at top
Associated with Arctic expeditions
So big almost hyperbolic to further emphasise weather and Frankenstein’s need for protection
Audience sympathetic
Hair is messy and in disarray, plastered to forehead with sweat
Associated with being flustered and out of control
Contrasts to well kept hair at start
Does not have strength anymore to even sort out his hair - embodies all that he has been through
Audience sympathetic/satisfied
Lighting moment 1
Profile rigged at a low angle, red gel, 80% intensity wash on upstage region
Silhouette of Creature due to low angle - associated with unknowing - atmosphere of confusion and foreboding
Audience suprised when see Creature’s appearance and movement because silhouette made it look like normal human
Bank of filament light bulbs, rigged overhead, snap from 0% to 100% then fade back to 0%, slightly warm white
Associated with waves of electricity - electricity used to create creature, unnatural, painful birth
Audience are pensive, sympathetic and anticipate next wave of light
Focuses audience attention centre stage which makes rest of stage dark, unknowing which Creature explores - feel fearful for him but also fearful of him when appears suddenly into light
Lighting moment 2
Bank of fresnels with a wide angle and pale blue gels to create naturalistic, cold wash with 30% intensity over majority of stage
Setting - harsh Arctic conditions
Harshness - exposing character’s inner raw emotions as exterior layers stripped away by environment and exhaustion
Darker corners - symbolise unknown future and uncertainty
Audience sympathetic for both
Bank of parcans with relatively narrow width and harsh white lights at 100% intensity rigged behind cyclorama
Doorway of light symbolises future
Hard to know what will happen in future - almost blinded by it
Feels as if creeping towards audience - symbolises end of play
Audience intrigued and fear for them - uncertain atmopshere
Structure of live theatre 15 marker
intro
TOPIC SENTENCE - contextualise moment
What: details (e.g. lighting - FICA)
Why: keep scene specific, setting, character, audience/atmosphere
Sound moment 1
Loud, angelic, high pitched, non-diegetic synth begins when Creature starts scraping at birthing pod,
Ethereal sound associated with God’s holy creation of birth - something to be marvelled at
Audience feel wonder - hopeful, innocent atmosphere
Fades out to a diegetic, quiet, low pitch background humming sound when Creature escapes pod
Awing audience stop when they see his appearance - not so innocent, heavenly creation of life (polluted by human/scientific intervention)
Associated with laboratory and industry - power and electricity
Jarring, artificial sound is continuous - constant reminder of unnatural birth
Barely noticeable volume - meant to be unnoticed but Frankenstein cannot hide abnormal nature of creation
Audience feel on edge
Sound moment 2
Very quiet, pre-recorded diegetic rain from speakers on stage lasting until end of play
Bleak weather - Arctic
Reverberating ripples suggest desolate environment - atmosphere feels gloomy and isolated
Desolate environment embodies Frankenstein’s internal emptiness from what he has been through
Audience sympathetic
Low volume targets audience subconscious - drawing them into play without taking away their attention from action on stage
String instrument plucked from when Frankenstein regains consciousness until bowed as they begin to depart. Low volume and relatively low pitch
Light plucking associated with fragility - like Frankenstein
Contrast of quietly beautiful moment with looming tragedy
Tentative plucking represents faint joy when Frankenstein regains consciousness and also fragile nature of life itself
Audience feel slightly hopeful but know how fragile their situation is
