Frankenstein at Algonquin Theatre: Technical virtuosity outshines the performances

Photo: Andrew Alexander  Early on in this Algonquin production of playwright Aldo Nolan’s version of Frankenstein, first performed in 1974 in collaboration with director Walter Learning, director Zach Counsil, shows us the Creature lying on the floor, bathed in David Magladry’s powerful chiaroscuro lighting effects. Played by Evan Gilmore, the creature trembles, he slowly tries to raise his body, he collapses, tries to stand up, his legs give way as he tries again, ultimately drawing himself up in the semi-darkness, showing us he can limp, then walk. This scene sent me back to the opening moments of the recent National Theatre Live production that we saw via satellite in Ottawa about two years ago. Counsil apparently added this silent development of the creature which was necessary and very effective. It created an appropriate transition between the moment Victor Frankenstein’s creation comes to life and the following scenes where he is running away because people, terrified of this repulsive looking individual are hunting him down to kill him.

The Nolan/Learning text, which emphasizes the humanity and suffering of this deformed creature, the victim of a scientists obsession to play God and create life, avoids the Hollywood style myth of the monster and remains very close to Mary Shelley’s book except for some obvious differences . Similar to the opening of the Branagh film, this version begins at the end of the novel, as the badly frost bitten scientist Victor Frankenstein, , finds himself in the North Pole, nearly frozen to death, aboard Captain Walton’s boat headed for the Pole. He tells the captain about his search for this creature that has destroyed his life before fleeing across the tundra.

The human conflict is foregrounded in this version, highlighted by the scene where the blind old man who has given lodging to the creature for several years, is teaching him to read, to understand Western philosophy and literature. That moment was quite moving as we see his transformation into a sensitive but disturbed human being, s central to our understanding of this horribly deformed victim of a scientific experiment, turned him into a killer because civilisation has rejected him.. The metaphysical question of the nature of man’s relationship with God is also dealt with here and the conclusion shows us that hope lies in mankind’s ability to accept that which he does not understand. The company has brought out this basic premise of the play very clearly.

As well, the prologue in the huge boat, where the creaking of the hull, and swishing of the water around the moving vessel, beautifully reproduced by those responsible for the sound and the music, all create the opening illusion of an epic adventure that would almost seem impossible to contain on a stage, especially one as small as the acting space at Algonquin college. The Nolan/ Learner treatment of Frankenstein’s bride also differs from Mary Shelley’s but those details are not serious.

More important is the fact that this production is a strange mixture of technical prowess, acting weakness and an enormous amount of artistic hutzpah on the part of director Counsil and his team.

What stands out in this production is the striking lighting by David Magladry who brings the creature to life, and effectively shifts our attention from the various acting spaces and thus reduces the cluttered feeling of the set which suggests the complex internal structure of the boat, the electrical set up of a laboratory, all the different places where the creature appears, along with tubes and wires and all sorts of objects hanging from the ceiling, rising from the floor. Also excellent were the choices of music that flowed along with the natural sound effects; the storms, the rumblings , the crashing thunder the rain, the hissing electrical connections, and the echoing voices off stage. Steven Lafond along with his student Jeremy Piamonte brought Mary Shelley’s world to life with their expert choices and with David Magladry they obviously had a lot of fun creating the birth of the creature in that wild laboratory, where Zach Counsil’s excellent infernal props added much excitement to the show.

The sound and the lighting did transform the elements of the set into an ensemble of separate and viable acting spaces but at other moments, when there were several actors on stage, the performers appeared to be overwhelmed by the objects on stage as well as the play itself. Unfortunately ,the cast weaknesses were highlighted by the technical professionalism of the lighting and sound effects. Thus, before even mentioning the question of acting style , one has to admit that the most basic of stage problems hampered many of the performances. Many of them spoke too quickly; the accents came and went and in several cases seriously hampered our understanding of the lines; at times, they gave the impression they were trying to remember their lines and thus they neglected the interpretation; often the faces showed no reaction to what was happening around them. In several cases, overacting almost a caricature. Several exceptions were Bruno Serner (Fitz) who spoke with a certain amount of ease and Evan Gilmore who succeeded in making the creature a pathetic and tortured soul. However the general sense was that these actors were unable to connect emotionally with their characters and thus, they left this audience member very uncomfortable. Vanessa Imeson’s costumes were rather good even though the countess Elizabeth’s frumpy dress did not do the character justice while the team that transformed Evan Gilmore into the creature with a brain emerging from his head stitched on his scalp, produced the perfect image of some unearthly being who certainly forced us to muster all our good will and sense of tolerance, to accept the humanity of such a creature.

This was a very ambitious undertaking that did not quite make it but the technical virtuosity is certainly worth the price of the ticket. It deserves the trip…

Frankenstein , directed by Zach Counsil continues at Algonquin College (Media Centre) until March 23. Show starts at 7h30. Parkng is free in the Algonquin parking lot after 5pm.

Frankenstein by Alden Nowlan and Walter Learning

Based on the novel by Mary Shelley

Directed by Zach Counsil

Lighting and set design: David Magladry

Sound design and music: Stephen Lafond and Jeremy Piamonte

Make-up effects design: Amanda Logan, Zach Counsil, Vanessa Imeson

Props design: Zach Counsil

CAST:

Victor Von Frankenstein Garrett Brink

Creature Evan Gilmore

Elizabeth Kara-Lyne Weaver

Henry Clerval Matthew Gillen

Fritz/ Mr Williamson Bruno Serner

Louise, Felix’s wife and bride Beckie Lindsay

Walton Benoit Lavalle

Felix Matthew Godin

Hans Ryan Johnston

Conrad Dal Sihgn

William Jesse Lalande