Monster
Neal Bell’s adaptation
of the Frankenstein myth at CSC, MONSTER, draws surprising parallels
with modern day science in its tampering with nature. A horror tale,
it explores what actually frightens us.
On the purely emotional
level, we feel the Creature’s solitude. This MONSTER kills to
avenge his loneliness and to force his creator to invent woman for
him. And on a metaphysical plane, the drama reflects upon the individual’s
urge to explore the unknown, to rival God, and to create seamlessly
with nature what only nature can achieve.
In Neal Bell’s story,
Victor Frankenstein invents the Creature out of despair at the loss
of human life, specifically his little brothers and sisters who died
in his mother’s arms. But this creation is his undoing. The parallels…Einstein,
Oppenheimer, the atomic bomb, anthrax… are clearly meted out
here.
The real pull of this drama,
however, lies in the poetic language, reflecting intense relationships
and vivid sexuality. One can hardly believe that a 19th
century novelist, even the feminist Mary Shelley, wrote it quite this
way. But MONSTER reveals the intimate relationship between Victor
Frankenstein and his fiancée as well as the Creature’s
wanton desires, and his despair. These human instincts are also powerful
forces in nature.
Darkly staged on the most
minimalist of sets, Michael Greif brings together a strong cast, driving
the story masterfully to its tragic end. The musical segways, sound
effects, and the bold lighting reveal the play’s disturbing vision.
MONSTER recreated is an imploring study about people’s quest,
their moral responsibility, and the boundaries of human nature.
That’s This Week Off-Broadway.
I’m Isa Goldberg.
