Frankenstien

Question 1

What is the introduction of the essay?

Answer 1

• In this essay I will be writing my performance analysis essay on ‘Frankenstein’ adapted by Nick Dear and directed by Danny Boyle, which I watched in class but was performance by the National Theatre in 2011.
• The production areas the essay will be discussing is acting and the development of characters and director’s intentions and effectiveness.

Question 2

What is the statement for the first acting and development of characters point?

Answer 2

An effective use of acting in the play was when the monster was talking to Frankenstein about having a wife and how he just wants there to be another creature that can understand him.

Question 3

What does the actor of the monster use in terms of proxemics and gestures in the first moment of acting and the development of characters?

Answer 3

• The actor of the monster uses proxemics a lot in this scene, walking around Frankenstein and using the stage to express his excitement.
• He also uses hand gestures, moving his hands in front of his body and face in an erratic manner to emphasise how passionate he is about having someone to love and to love him back.

Question 4

What do the actor of the monster use in terms of volume and pace in the first moment of acting and the development of characters?

Answer 4

• He also changes his volume and pace, whenever he was saying something to argue he would have a loud volume and fast pace but then he would show how desperate he was by changing quickly to a slow pace and quiet volume when he knew his anger and shouting wasn’t getting his point across.

Question 5

What does the actor of the monster using his voice and movement show the audience in the first moment?

Answer 5

This showed how he was trying to convince Victor to agree to his terms. He also, towards the end of the scene, starts to use a desperate tone, showing how he let this go and that he really feels he needs her.

Question 6

How did the first moment of the acting create a tense atmosphere?

Answer 6

• The acting in this moment helped to create a tense atmosphere because the monsters acting helped to show how the status was constantly changing, one moment the monster would have higher status then the next it would be Frankenstein.
• This was shown whenever the monster had quiet volume, Frankenstein would have a loud volume and vice versa, and if Frankenstein was kneeling, the monster would be standing and vice verse.

Question 7

Why was the atmosphere tense in the first moment?

Answer 7

• The atmosphere was tense because the audience didn’t really knowing who was going to give in or who was going to snap, there was just his constant change of status where suspense built and kept the audience on edge.

Question 8

How did the first moment enhance my appreciation of the performance?

Answer 8

• This enhanced my appreciation of the performance because it showed how they didn’t even know how to deal with the situation and were struggling with how their relationship was going to work.
• They both were stern but never went so far as to hurt the other, and this conversation showed how key do care for each other in a way that they both had never felt before and were very confused it.
• It made me feel sad for the monster and hopeful that he would get his bride and be able to id peace but I understood Victors caution seeing as the monster had just killed his brother.

Question 9

What is the statement for the second acting and development of characters point?

Answer 9

• Another effective use of acting in this play was when the blind man is being kind towards the monster and helping him to read and speak, not being able to judge his looks as he can’t see him.

Question 10

What does the actor of the blind man use to show the acting and development of characters?

Answer 10

• The actor of the blind man uses a kind tone and a slow pace when speaking to the monster so that he is able to understand him and is able to tell, by his voice, that he won’t harm him.
• The actor also uses a caring body language and hand gestures, to emphasise his emotion, to seem welcoming and safe.
• He also uses in-direct eye contact to show that he is blind and does not know what the monster looks like.

Question 11

How did the blind man’s actions create a hopeful mood?

Answer 11

• The acting in this moment helped to create a hopeful mood because up until this point the monster has been treated very badly, being beat, yelled at and cast out by towns and villages, he only knows pain and suffering.

Question 12

Why doesn’t the blind man judge the monster’s appearance?

Answer 12

• However, as the man can not see when the monster looks like, he doesn’t judge his appearance and actually gets to know him, teaching him how to speak and read creating a friendship between the two of them.
• Someone is treating the monster with kindness and his personality and care shines through as he is being treated as an equal, with love.

Question 13

What makes you think about the blind man’s caring and attentiveness to the monster?

Answer 13

• This makes you think that there is an actually caring and loving person within the monster and gives you hope for what his future could be.

Question 14

How did the second moment enhance my appreciation for the performance?

Answer 14

• This enhanced my appreciation of the performance because it helped to show that the monster only acted like a monster when he was treated like one.
• The first interactions he had with humans was bad experiences, so that’s all he knew, but as soon as someone showed love and good towards him and others he became a different person.

Question 15

How did the second moment further enhance my appreciation for the performance?

Answer 15

• This showed that the way someone is treated while growing up really has a big part in who they are as an adult, how they act and view the world.
• This made me feel compassion for the monster as even though he has omitted unspeakable crimes, he doesn’t know any better.

Question 16

What is the statement for the third acting and development of characters point?

Answer 16

Another effective use of acting in this play was when Frankenstein told Elizabeth that he was going away again and that they were going to have to postpone the wedding.

Question 17

What does the actor of Elizabeth use to show the acting and development of characters in this third moment?

Answer 17

• The actor of Elizabeth uses a sad tone and a slow pace to show her disappointment in this news.
• She also emphasises the fact that she has already waited 6 years to marry him and that she doesn’t want to wait any longer.
• She also uses an upset facial expression and proxemics to try and move closer to him and have that physical contact, showing she is upset with this news and needs to be comforted.

Question 18

How did the actor of Elizabeth create a sympathetic atmosphere using her acting?

Answer 18

• The acting in this moment helped to create a sympathetic atmosphere as Elizabeth really wants him to stay and become her husband, but Elizabeth and marriage are, obviously, not the first things on his mind.

Question 19

Why does the audience feel sorry for Elizabeth?

Answer 19

• The audience feel sorry for Elizabeth and the fact that she doesn’t really have any choice in the matter, and how she is constantly waiting for him, never thinking about herself and what she wants from this relationship.
• This is showed in the way she doesn’t ever force him to be affectionate, by never getting too close to him, and just lets him have his space.

Question 20

How did the third moment enhance my appreciation for the performance?

Answer 20

• This enhanced my appreciation of the performance because it showed how selfish Frankenstein is, and how he doesn’t really care about Elizabeth, he is more focused on how ‘god like’ he can become.
• It emphasised the fact that he really doesn’t know how to process his emotions, it’s the one thing he can’t seem to do and it’s the one thing that ruins everything.
• This shows that feeling your emotions really is an important part of life and without it is a constant mental battle.

Question 21

What is the statement for the fourth acting and development of characters point?

Answer 21

Another effective use of acting in the play was when Elizabeth has been killed and is lying on the bed with Frankenstein saying he can raise her but father walks in and just wants her to rest in peace.

Question 22

How does the actor of Frankenstien use posture, eye contact and voice terms to show his acting and development of characters in the fourth moment?

Answer 22

• The actor of Frankenstein, running to the bed USC, uses a loud volume and a fast pace, repeating “I can fix it! I can fix it!” to show his panic and show how scared and shocked he is.
• He also uses a slouched posture and in-direct eye contact, showing that he is trying to process the information and come up with the solution of bringing her back.

Question 23

How does the actor of Frankenstien use body language and his father uses facial expression to show their acting and development of characters in this fourth moment?

Answer 23

• He also uses a distressed body language, showing how he doesn’t know how to react to the situation and just wants to undo it.
• The father, standing DS uses a disgusted facial expression and uses a loud volume when shouting Victor to leave.

Question 24

How did the acting in the fourth moment create a sad mood? (acting)

Answer 24

• The acting in this moment helped to create a sad mood because Frankenstein doesn’t know how to process the information his brain is receiving and is saying he can bring her back because it’s the only thing he knows how to do.
• However, the father just wants peace for Elizabeth and allow people to grieve which is made hard by Frankenstein’s instant shouting that he can bring her back.
• Everything happens so fast and is all so loud, but you can tell everyone is devastated and grieving in their own way, emphasizing how important Elizabeth was to all the Frankenstein’s and household and how Victor, through his need to play god, has destroyed not only his own life, but his families as well.

Question 25

How did the fourth moment enhance my appreciation for the performance?

Answer 25

This enhanced my appreciation of the performance because each of the people on stage were each grieving in their own way, and they were all different, every facial expression, each tone was all different.
- It was also shown that Frankenstein yelling that he could bring her back was affecting ach of the grieving processes, making them either uncomfortable or more distressed, making the hole mood even more sad because each others reactions to the death was affecting the others.

Question 26

How was everything happening so fast, and how can we tell everyone is grieving? (fourth moment)

Answer 26

• Everything happens so fast and is all so loud, but you can tell everyone is devastated and grieving in their own way, emphasizing how important Elizabeth was to all the Frankenstein’s and household and how Victor, through his need to play god, has destroyed not only his own life, but his families as well.

Question 27

How did you feel at Frankenstien in this fourth moment?

Answer 27

• I felt frustrated at Frankenstein in this moment because he was the cause of this tragedy and yet as willing to play god again to bring Elizabeth back, proving that Victor, even when he has ruined everything, would still make the wrong decision and go too far.

Question 28

What is the statement for the final acting and development of characters point?

Answer 28

• The final effective use of acting in the play was when Elizabeth is kind towards the monster when as crossedoes to visit her, she is the only one that has seen him and not judged his looks.

Question 29

How does the actor of Elizabeth in this final moment from her use of voice, proxemics and facial expression/body language show the acting and development of characters?

Answer 29

• The actor of Elizabeth uses a slow pace and quiet volume so as not to scare the monster or make him feel threatened.
• She also uses proxemics, moving away from him when she first sees him but then walking closer as she gets used to him.
• She also uses a concerned facial expression and caring body language, showing her maternal instincts, and that she wants to be there for him and listen to what he has to say to her.

Question 30

How does the acting in this final moment create a hopeful mood?

Answer 30

• The acting in this moment helped to create a hopeful mood as she is not casting him out, shouting at him or being mean.
• She genuinely wants to listen to what he has to say and try and help him, by saying she will speak to Victor and make sure everything gets sorted out.

Question 31

How does this final moment of acting and development of characters make the audience feel, and why?

Answer 31

• This makes the audience, again, feel like there is some sort of happy future for the monster and that something good will come out of this conversation.
• Since she is showing him care and understanding, there is hope that he will see that and treat her with that same kindness and care.

Question 32

How does this final moment of acting and development of characters enhance my appreciation of the performance?

Answer 32

• This enhanced my appreciation of the performance because it was showing how the world isn’t all bad but if all you’ve seen up to that point is then it’s very hard to trust that someone actually means well.
• Someone being treated badly and had there trust ruined by others really effects how they then view the world going forward, and that is shown through the monster, all he has know is revenge and pain.

Question 33

How does this final moment of acting and development of characters further enhance my appreciation of the performance?

Answer 33

• So when someone is kind to him, its too late because he’s been hurt so many times that it doesn’t matter to him anymore.
• This helps the audience understand the message of “we aren’t both monsters, we become them.”

Question 34

What are the statement for the first director’s intentions and effectiveness point?

Answer 34

• An effective use of directing was used for the monsters makeup, in the beginning, when the monster come to life out of his womb, he had stitches all over his body, to make him look had been made from multiple different bodies.

Question 35

How did Boyle direct the makeup artists?

Answer 35

• Boyle directed the makeup artists to scars look rough and raw, like they were painful and so they made the monster ugly and scary.

Question 36

How did the makeup artists create the monster’s makeup?

Answer 36

• They were created using modelling wax which was stuck down using spirit gum.
• Black twine then used to act as stitches covering the cuts and a bruise wheel with colours green and used to show the bruises are old and fading, suggesting Frankenstein has been working a while.
• The actor had them all over his body, his head, back, feet, so had to work them he thought the monster would then move, if they hurt or if they bothered him.

Question 37

How did the makeup create a fearful mood?

Answer 37

• This helped to create a fearful mood because, with the scars and cuts being so detailed, this explain why most people were scared of him and why they didn’t want to be anywhere near him.
• When they first saw him you felt the same way, scared and uncomfortable, because he doesn’t look like anything your used to.

Question 38

How was everyone in the room and on stage scared of the monster?

Answer 38

• Everyone in the room and on stage was scared of the monster his stitches and scars, felt like they could be in danger and that he would hurt them be scars on his body.

Question 39

How did the first director’s intentions and effectiveness enhance my appreciation for the performance?

Answer 39

• This enhanced my appreciation of the performance because the Boyle has got the audience feeling the same way the characters are feeling, just through the monsters makeup and how he looks, without any words.

Question 40

How was the audience being taught something and how did I feel at looking at the monster?

Answer 40

• The audience are being taught how judging someone straight away is damaging and hurtful, while the audience are doing that exact thing, judging the monster by how he looks.
• I felt disgusted when looking at the monster because he looked unnatural and sore making me mistrust him.

Question 41

What are the statement for the second director’s intentions and effectiveness point?

Answer 41

• Another effective use of directing was at the very beginning when the monster was coming to life and there were yellow flashes across the stage.

Question 42

How did the director use the lighting in the second moment?

Answer 42

• The director directed the lighting operator to have use Fresnel spotlights aiming CS, CSL and SR with red gels creating a wash over the stage but, as the monster jolted and moved around to the sounds of electricity, there were flashes of light using profile spotlights, with a yellow gel creating a chase on the stage.

Question 43

How did the director use the lighting + sound to show the electricity going through the monster’s body in the second moment?

Answer 43

• To show the electricity going through the body of the monster, as he wakes up and comes to life. The pre-recorded SFX of a heartbeat is played at a loud volume at a gradual fade-in the show the audience that what is in the womb is living and breathing.