A beautifully crafted exploration of a beloved novel
If there’s any show that does Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein justice, it is Frankenstein: Afterglow by Spike Rose Productions. Capturing the tone and atmosphere of the original source wonderfully, this forty-five minute production offers a fascinating new angle to the story we all know and love. Its premise, while simple – “what would have happened if the Doctor and his creation had lived?” – subverts expectations for the show and promises to leave you as an audience member with more to think about.
Spike Rose’s use of puppetry was a fantastic directorial and textual choice. It illuminated the performance, and elevated even the slightly weaker parts of the show with its originality and symbolism. Not once did it feel clunky or out-of-place: in this show about control, life, death, and pain, the puppetry served as a brilliant reminder of the show’s themes and messages.
What surprised and intrigued me most was the deviation from the source material. Frankenstein: Afterglow takes place after the novel, but that’s not the only change – the whole cadence of the story is different. The decision to create a show that follows its own rhythm meant it broke free from Shelley’s original text, giving it life of its own (no pun intended).
An incredibly memorable performance, Frankenstein: Afterglow offers a twist on the classic tale that leaves you wanting more. It is rare to find a show that you don’t want to end, but that is exactly the effect that Spike Rose Productions pull from the audience. The questions that are asked from the outset are not given concrete answers, but instead left for you to ponder: the show offers you another point-of-view, grotesque at first though it seems, and is a powerful commentary on playing god and marginalised perspectives.
(Frankenstein: Afterglow was a show at the Edinburgh Fringe. Find out more here: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/frankenstein-afterglow.)