‘Frankenstein’ takes on new look at Odyssey

‘Frankenstein’ takes on new look at Odyssey

By Barbara Hernandez

Daily Bruin Staff

If using two people to play one person seems odd, perhaps you
aren’t used to science fiction. In the spirit of Halloween, the
Glorious Repertory Company stages their newest adaptation and world
premiere of Mary Godwin Shelley’s "Frankenstein" at the Odyssey
Theatre.

Shelley’s novel, the first in science-fiction, was written from
a vivid dream Shelley had during a rather nightmarish, if not
drug-induced, retreat. "She’s the original Gothic heroine," Debbie
Devine, the play’s director and co-playwright, says of Mary Godwin.
In her novel Shelley tells the story of Dr. Victor Frankenstein’s
obsession with creating life. When his creation doesn’t live up to
his expectations he shuns it. After being denied a companion, the
Monster ­ hideous, unwanted and fiercely intelligent ­
slowly begins his downward spiral of revenge against his
creator.

The play takes on a new twist in the adaptation; one that takes
on the metaphor of rebellion, both in the Monster and in the
peasants rebelling against the selfish aristocracy. Devine cites
the the 1992 Los Angeles civil unrest as the reason for the plot
device, which remained heavily in her mind. "It’s an original
adaptation," she says. "Being a native of Los Angeles, I found it
easy to make an adaption."

She decided to place the play in the Hapsburg Rebellion,
deciding to have a peasant uprising in 19th century Austria, the
same time the Monster begins his reign of terror on Herr
Frankenstein. "The underclass rebelled against the government as
the monster rebelled against Frankenstein," Devine says.

Devine cautions that the play is nothing like the Boris Karloff
movie. "The Creature is very far from a monster," she says. Based
on Shelley’s novel, the Monster, if not physically appealing, is
both eloquent and sympathetic. Unfortunately Devine was worried
that it wouldn’t come off in a play like it would in Shelley’s
prose-ridden book. So she took a little poetic license.

"We have one actor from the Royal Shakespearean Company, Allan
Hendrick, playing the Creature’s brain and another for the body
(Erick Melton)," Devine says, hoping to flesh out the character to
the audience. "It’s to capture the elegance of the Creature, and we
used the two actors to accomplish it."

The play itself took six months to adapt, improvising scenes and
structure while writing simultaneously. The company read the book;
many for the first time. "It’s wonderful to use in an ensemble,"
Devine says of the 15-member cast. Being together five days a week
for six months causes people to work well and gauge each other’s
reactions and emotions. Everyone is satisfied. When you make the
art itself, you’re really an artist."

Devine didn’t realize the play would coincide with the
soon-to-be opening Kenneth Branagh epic Frankenstein, but decided
it wouldn’t hurt. "It’s just serendipitous that Tri-Star’s doing it
… the hype could only help our production," she says with a
laugh.

Although the production didn’t cost $50 million, it is still
gripping. "It’s really a beautiful production," Devine says. "I
like to call it 90 minutes of visual poetry."

With 25 scene changes in 90 minutes, the play keeps the
audience’s attention. "It’s a perfect piece for initiates of the
theater," she says, rather than "Macbeth." "There’s no tedium and
audiences are secure in knowing something of what the play’s
about."

Don’t think it’s something for the kiddies, though. "Some of the
images are pretty graphic," Devine warns.

THEATER: "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley. Adapted by Debbie
Devine, Jay McAdams and the Glorious Repertory Company. Starring
Allan Hendrick, Gabrielle Boni and Erick Melton. Now playing at the
Odyssey Theatre Ensemble Saturdays at 2 p.m., Sundays at 1 p.m. and
4 p.m., and Mondays at 7:30 p.m. Running through Dec. 4. TIX:
$12.50 general, $10 students and seniors. For more info call (310)
477-2055.