Reviews

Frankenstein, Based on the Novel by Mary Shelley by Nick Dear

missmelia's review

dark emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

lunarblazes's review

dark sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

this book isn't a great adaptation, all things considered. though i like some of the things they did with the framing (since the play is, well, a play, the audience begins in the perspective of the creature rather than victor's, which is a fun framing reversal) and with elizabeth and victor's dynamic (elizabeth wants to pursue victor's enthusiasm for science with him, since clerval's not here, and she's taken on the role of his closest friend), the majority of things dear changed here were very much noticeable and frustrating. i personally despise the idea that victor never knew love, since in the original novel, the poignancy and sympathy victor elicits stems from the fact that, though he's selfish and short-sighted, victor did love his friends and family. it hollows the creature's threat if victor doesn't truly care for his family, especially elizabeth. the rape scene is gratuitous and unappreciated by an aroace person--sex doesn't make you more or less human, and it truly added nothing but to imply that victor was in the wrong for never fucking her. and though i like elizabeth's desire to pursue victor's scientific whims, her willingness to drop everything she loves because she thinks it's "boring" is somewhat dull and ignorant of the appreciation she showed in the original novel for the beauty of her life, an appreciation that vanishes and gives way to a cold grief after the death of justine, which is tragically omitted from this play. the performance of this is better, i'm sure, but as an adaptation, i'm not fond of it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Grief, Body horror, Stalking, Sexual assault, Murder, Rape, Violence, Toxic relationship, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Acephobia/Arophobia, Animal death, Child abuse, and Cursing

the ace/arophobia is a little subjective, but as an aroace person, i definitely picked up on it. the characters themselves aren't ace/arophobic, but the themes in the play may be easily interpreted as such;

(a strong negative implication that victor doesn't love romantically or sexually, and a consequent strong implication that the creature is more human than he is because he does love romantically and sexually)

shannongill127's review

challenging dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

nothingtosay's review

3.0

This play, while based on Mary Shelly's story, has a much more different focus. A lot of the characters that were in the oriignal story got trimmed to make way for Frankenstein and his creature. It is much more fast-paced that leaves me wanting for more. Definitely looking forward to the actual stage play now.

marinatedpenguin's review

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

mcnuggies09's review

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault

leselotte's review

dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

1.0

albertcamus's review

dark emotional reflective

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

norrell's review

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.25

Absolute dogshit that in my opinion fundamentally misunderstands or willfully misinterprets Frankenstein's themes and characters.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

not_mike's review

5.0

Stage adaptation of the novel.