The Rorschach Theatre's newest production has been hailed as one of the most inventive and frightening adaptations of a famous book ever to be put on stage.
Directed by Randy Baker, the show is sure to surpass the expectations of horror seekers everywhere with the on-stage adaptation of Mary Shelley's famous novel "Frankenstein."
Written by playwright Neal Bell, "Monster" is set in the late 19th century, following the life of Victor Frankenstein (Jeremy Goren) and telling of his many trials after one of his experiments turns fatally disastrous.
Played by Robert Rector, this monster is truly horrifying. Needy, vulnerable and violent, his performance truly unsettles the audience. Perhaps the most enticing part of the show is the chemistry between the two actors who play the main characters. Goren and Rector display an entire spectrum of emotions and develop a complicated relationship, keeping the audience wondering whether they thrive on each other or if they wish for the other's demise.
The other members of the cast are not quite so emotionally involved with the performance. Their reactions to news of the deaths of their loved ones are far too mild to fit with the rest of the performance.
The production is set in Columbia Heights' timeworn and rickety Sanctuary Methodist Church, which gives the audience an eerie feel from the moment they walk in. The scenery designed by Debra Kim Sivigny is minimal and features black and white gossamer drapes hanging from the rafters and a series of distorted wooden platforms acting as pieces of furniture.
With entrances to the stage behind the seating, the audience can never be too sure when the creature will appear next, adding to the suspense of the show. The lack of music and the long dramatic monologues by both Victor and the creature increase the thrills of the show.
The play begins with Victor Frankenstein living his life unhappily in rural Switzerland, dissatisfied with his knowledge of life, death, higher beings and the afterlife. Hoping to answer these questions, he pursues a career in science and spends long periods of time in his house's cellar, where he does his research and prohibits anyone from entering.
After months of experimentation, Victor quite literally brings his newest project to life in his attempt to play God. In one of the show's most thrilling scenes, he surges this corpse with lightening. It awakes and begins to move around the cellar, whispering memories still left in the decaying brain and convincingly screaming about the horrible blackness and solitude that fill the afterlife. When Victor realizes the danger that this creature poses to him and his family, he leaves him in the forest and hopes he won't survive.
A year later, Victor and his family are out in the countryside when the monster surfaces again. This time, he is bent on revenge for Victor's cruel abandonment and for the awful disfigurement that made it so difficult for him to assimilate into society.
The monster goes on to gruesomely murder anyone he thinks Victor loves. Victor must stop the monster before he is able to kill again. But the question remains throughout the play: Is Dr. Frankenstein hunting the creature or is he being hunted himself? Not even the ending gives any clear answers and leaves the audience to ponder as they head out into the chilly night.
This play is another great example of a production that fits into a college budget, easily accessible by the Metro and filled with talented acting.
The Rorschach Theatre is found conveniently off the Green Line and tickets are always $10 each. The theater has been praised by The Washington Post for its great productions despite limited resources.
For anyone looking for some post-Halloween thrills for the price of a movie, "Monster" is the show to see.
