Christina Savopoulos

Amid Melbourne’s current theatre line up of lavish musicals, Frankenstein holds its own with a suspense-building score and astonishing performances. Audience  members arrive dressed in their most gothic attire, ready to be immersed in Mary Shelley’s canonical tale. Erik Satie and Claude Debussy’s hauntingly sweet tones fill the theatre as we watch the stage become enveloped with smoke, an effect present during most of the production. Adapted by Nelle Lee for production company Shake and Stir, this version of Frankenstein comes to the Princess Theatre stage following its successful Brisbane debut in 2023.   Often considered the first science fiction novel, Frankenstein follows scholar and  scientist Victor Frankenstein who shares his story of ambition and regret after assembling a man (a creature) from corpse limbs. Unnaturally thrust into an unforgiving world, The Creature seeks acceptance from a harsh society unwilling to look past ‘the beast’.   Director Nick Skubij catapults his audience into the heart of action with a ship crew  taking Victor aboard. Darcy Brown is charming as Victor, leaning into his passion and regret for his creation. It’s made clear this adaptation will predominantly follow Victor’s perspective over The Creature’s.  Guy Webster’s captivating sound design made for a powerful start to the production, although it did drown out some of the opening dialogue. Perhaps this was intentional to add to the chaos of this beginning sequence where Victor is frantic