The monstrously multi-talented Robert Fairchild is now on stage as the title character in Ensemble for the Romantic Century’s production "Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein” at the Signature Center. Last night’s first preview performance was delayed some 45 minutes due to technical/electrical difficulties, but once it finally began, the current in this play’s highly creative and complex circuitry charged through two hours with more than a few sparks of high voltage brilliance.
Written by Eve Wolf who used Mary Shelley’s famous novel as source material, the play conveys clearly how the horror story was born out of Shelley’s life pain from the deaths of all of her children. The viewer sees and most importantly feels the transference of her personal pain to her fictional monster.
This is a hybrid play-musical that features the music of Liszt, Bach, Schubert, and Busoni played live on stage by three extraordinary soloists: Kemp Jernigan – oboe, Steven Lin – piano, Parker Ramsay – Organ/Harpsichord. The music alone is worth the price of the ticket. In fact, Mr. Lin’s performance of Franz Liszt’s Variations on “Weinen, Klagen, Sorge Zagen” will, by itself, bring Haglund back for another performance. Also featured is Mezzo-Soprano Krysty Swann who on the first night performed rich interpretations of four selections from Franz Schubert. Even though the songs with translations were in the Playbill, the English translations were projected as super titles which helped the audience connect their meanings to what was happening on the stage as it was happening.
Our star of the evening, Robert Fairchild as Frankenstein’s Monster, first appeared in a convulsive dance about the re-birth of a corpse as bolts of electricity crackled through his veins. This and all of the other movement in the play was Fairchild's choreography. Much of it, if not most, conveyed brilliantly the story of this manmade human-like monster who craved love and human interaction and only became violent when rejected by the people around him. The choreography and the performance of it were mesmerizing for the tension created, the explosiveness, and the ultimate surrender to fate. When the Monster began to speak, his words revealed a fragile soul and desperate need for love. His words were honest and pleading, although in Act II they tended to be in an unvarying higher register too much of the time. This was another stellar performance by Fairchild. For the first time, Haglund can say that he’s happy that this man left the ballet stage for theater. Our next couple of decades are going to be richer for it.
Mia Vallet as Mary Shelley got off to a slow start in Act I when she was difficult to hear sometimes and her delivery not always convincing. But in Act II, Mary Shelley’s pain and desperation came through loud and clear. Paul Wesley as Percy Shelley/Victor Frankenstein/Felix, despite having three roles to play, did not make a strong impression, perhaps because his dialogue was not particularly strong — or not nearly as strong as Mary Shelley’s and the Monster’s. Rocco Sisto as De Lacey/William Godwin and three child actors, Shiv Ajay, Peyton Lusk, and Avey Noble rounded out the talented cast.
The set design by Vanessa James included strong but barren trees, one with a single black bird sitting on a branch. Projection design by David Bengali was most notable for the fascinating video backdrops of birds which the Monster chased and roaring sea waves into which he disappeared. Beverly Emmons’ lighting design was both pleasingly Gothic and Romantic.
There is a discount code floating around for tickets. Try MSFTCHARGE at Ticketcentral.com. Tickets are also available through TDF. The official opening night is December 27th. Performances until then are considered Previews and may undergo some changes until the opening night.