If you ask about theatre in Stratford Upon Avon most people will mention the Royal Shakespeare Company. Right, but also wrong. If you want a large scale production of a Shakespeare play you should head to the recently refurbished Shakespeare theatre but, if, you prefer your entertainment more intimate, yet of a similarly high quality you should check out the "Tread The Boards" company, based in the Attic Theatre. They have been producing impressive versions of classic stories for many years, the latest being Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein'.
Perfectly timed to coincide with Halloween you enter a small space and see a figure draped in a sheet on a slab. Immediately director John-Robert Partridge leads you to assume this is the monster then surprises you by unveiling Victor Frankenstein recovering on a ship having been rescued from the icy wastes of the Pole. We are now in flashback mode as he reveals the tale of how he appears in this wretched condition.
This adaptation is more truthful to the novel than most recent productions yet it seems obvious that you would want to use such great material. It is truly one of the great stories showing the possible consequences of science meddling with nature. Two hundred years later and nothing has changed.
A good plot is a start and a director's vision can only take you so far as the success of a play ultimately revolves around the actors. Here, the "Tread The Boards" company are very fortunate indeed. All the cast are exemplary ( amongst the supporting roles Jennifer Hodges breaks your heart as the doomed Justine) but Mr Partridge is blessed with two outstanding performances in the lead roles.
Rich Bunn makes you understand the tricky title character, from inquisitive student, lover,obsessed scientist to horrified widower seeking refenge. Most horror films concentrate upon the monster as a pure figure of fear but he is actually one of literature's great tragic figures which Adrian Daniel Varney portrays beautifully.
The pacing of the piece is captured perfectly with the tale unfolding before us without any dull moments and just as impressively the director avoids any aspects of melodrama with all events seeming natural and realistic.
Last year I saw the Danny Boyle version at the National Theatre and I can honestly say I preferred this more intimate version. Obviously, they do not possess the resources of the subsidised London theatre but tonight proved that imagination is just as important as finances. The simple premise of plunging the venue into pitch darkness and allowing the actors to roam amongst the audience was truly terrifying.
Cox's Yard is in the process of being taken over and the future of The Attic theatre is uncertain. This is therefore the prefect time to discover Stratford's hidden gem and support this impressive company ( starting with Dick Whittington next month).You won't be disappointed!
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