Frankenstein
Written by Vincent S. Hannam and Direction by Jorden Charley-Whatley
Presented by City Gate Productions
The Secret Theatre at 38-02 61st Street, Woodside, Queens
October 18 - 27, 2024
Photo by Joe Sinnott.
I’m going to be completely honest. I had no idea what to expect when I walked into The Secret Theatre. I’m not that familiar with the particulars of Mary Shelley’s classic creation: Frankenstein.
I know there’s a monster, a doctor, a love interest, and madness. That’s about it. So, being that this was my first introduction to the madness of Frankenstein, I was eager to immerse myself in playwright Vincent S. Hannam’s live theatrical adaptation.
So with that in mind, this review is written from the perspective of a near-blank-slate audience member.
Under the direction of Jorden Charley-Whatley and presented by City Gate Productions, I gained thoughtful and unforeseen insight as to what the madness of Frankentstein is all about: the human condition.
What does it mean to be human? What does Love mean and what justifies our actions in the name of it? What happens when we are faced with the unknown and our fears take over? How do we instill hope when faced with the impossible? Should we even try? Does perception and patience really mean everything? What’s a life to live?
I could go on and on with that list. These are age-old questions that philosophers and every day humans on Earth have been asking for centuries. With those, one could consequently become obsessed with the madness.
Photo by Joe Sinnott.
Although the set worked beautifully with pieces that strung together different locales (we love simple and multifaceted sets!), it could become confusing switching between timelines during the show. Beautifully crafted light cues (courtesy of Em Stripling), detailed sound cues (provided by Dylan Franz), and subtle costume adjustments were put in place to establish timeline transition. For someone who didn’t know Frankenstein in its depth, the transitions felt a bit unstable and jarring, which may very well have been the intention. I was constantly puzzled for an hour and a half, with my eagerness increasing as the play ventured on.
Timelines switched between Dr. Frankenstein narrating his Monster’s coming-of-age story on a ship to a Captain (whose crew is ready to overthrow her), and the story itself. There weren’t many of these narration scenes, so I must admit I was unsure why they were there in the first place until the play met its quick end.
Some of the flashbacks of the tale were played from the Monster’s perspective instead of the Doctor’s, despite being cast as our narrator from the start. I personally thought these scenes were the most magical, heartfelt, and simultaneously heartbreaking in the play. These were the scenes that burst the human condition questions out of their hearts with a sparkling blaze, challenging all that we have grown to know. These were the scenes that came alive in the audience’s veins.
The production was graced with the talents of a bright cast. Austin Hust played the obsessive and god-playing Dr. Frankenstein with Juliet Wolfe by his side who plays the strong, caring, and resilient Elizabeth. Tyler Fewin’s choices for a new-born creature fluttered with wonder and astonishment as the Monster. Allison Fletcher played the inflexible Captain Walton with Michaela Tramuta by the actor’s side as the communicative first-mate. Daniel Wolfe Mitnick played the charming soul-seeing Delacey with Jennifer Kim cast as his beautifully spirited daughter, Emily. The cast rounded out with Jack Tavcar, doubling as the loving Dr. Frankenstein Sr. and the fearful Inspector Krogh.
The cast was dressed exquisitely by the unmeasurable talents of Grace Wylie. Caitlyn Piccirillo used the cast, specifically the Monster, as her make-up canvas, resulting in astounding works of art. Sarah Jack ran a tight ship as stage manager, and the entire City Gate team was warmly welcoming. Overall, it was a great Sunday afternoon at the theater.
Photo by Joe Sinnott.
Frankenstein, presented by City Gate Productions runs for one more weekend at The Secret Theatre in Woodside, Queens. Give yourself an early Halloween treat by getting your tickets in advance. These 90 minutes of madness will profoundly soothe your soul. You’ll leave wanting to dive into Mary Shelley’s novel, looking for answers to those questions we have been pondering for centuries.
Production Team
Director - Jorden Charley-Whatley
Stage Manager - Sarah Jack
Producers - Thom Harmon, Ginny Harmon and Cathy Chimenti
Costumer - Grace Wylie
Make-up Artist - Caitlyn Piccirillo
Lighting Design - Em Stripling
Sound Design - Dylan Franz
Show Dates: October 18-27
Location: The Secret Theatre, 38-02 61st Street, Woodside, Queens
Review by Amanda Montoni
Published by Theatre Beyond Broadway on Oct 22nd, 2024. All rights reserved.