Frankenstein at the National

[Jacquix]

So ...
Anyone going? Anyone got any views on who will be better in which role? Anything else to add? I'm just throwing the floor open really. I'm going on two nights, seeing each lead in each role, and can't tell you how excited I am. Very lukewarm on Lee Miller but am fairly rabid about Benedict since Sherlock, and saw him on stage as part of the Children's Monologues at the Young Vic last year. It was a brief appearance and not the most stretching of roles, but he was ace and I think he'll be mind-blowingly good as both the Creature and Frankenstein.

28th April - Cumbernatch as creature
at you for your googling

Fantastic, enjoy! I know, I've been at home sick from work for a few days and am finding ridiculous teenagey interesting ways to fill my time.

Sooooooo

Did the National Theatre Live thingy last night and saw Benedict's Creature and Jonny's Victor.

It was excellent and both brought different things to the role but I think I have to say that Jonny as the Creature and Benedict as Victor was my preferred version. I can't quite put my finger on why as I can't criticise any performance that either gave. There just seems to be something more erm animal - but in a good way - about Jonny LM.

But it was absolutely spellbinding both times. Apart from the old man's son and DIL. They were still dreadful.

Fried, so glad you enjoyed it! How was the theatre-at-the-cinema experience?

Have now seen it with a full cast, Benedict as Victor. I thought Jonny was better this time round, probably for having Benedict to play off. In fact the whole vibe was better ? there was more of a feeling of flow and things gelling. It must really damage morale to have the cast decimated. I thought B was stunning in what is a fairly thin and underwritten role. His performance in the scene where he shows the Creature his bride and then destroys her was a tour de force in my opinion.

Have got tickets for Benedict as the Creature next month. It's weeks away but I'm already stressing about him being ill again!

By the way, I am the artist formerly known as danglingmodifiers ... Fancied a name change.

Hehe - thought you might be!

The theatre-at-the-cinema experience was fairly good, as it was pretty much the same audience as at the National. There was a bit of girly giggling from the cheap seats but that was about it.

Glad you got to see it with more of the cast being fully fit. I agree that Benedict and Jonny spark so well off each other that it wouldn't be so good if one of them was missing. Jonny is more 'animal' as the creature and Benedict is more 'cerebral' as Victor and I think that works so much better. They were both great in the opposite roles but I just felt that something wasn't quite 100%.

And yes, the scene where Victor creates and then destroys the Creature's bride is incredibly powerful. It is cruel, but right and you know that it is Elizabeth that will pay.

He won't be ill!!!

I'll report back!

Yes do! Fingers crossed here too that the lurgy leaves the cast alone.

Me and my Hubby travelled down to London on Saturday to watch the matinee. Had no idea who was playing what but I like both actors so was excited either way. We saw BC as The Creature and JLM as Victor. I can't describe to you the effect that seeing the play has had on us both. We just loved everything about it and we haven't stopped talking about it since. So glad we got tickets. Will never forget it. Most amazing experience we have ever had in the theatre. The set, the lighting, and the music is awesome.

Have already downloaded Underworld's score off Itunes as well. Don't think there is any chance we will be able to see it the other way round so we are going to watch the NT Live Encore at Manchester Cornerhouse instead on May day, when JLM will be playing the Creature and vice versa. Obviously it won't compare to being there live but am looking forward to it nonetheless.

Have name-changed again.

OK, so we turned up last Saturday and, this time, so did Benedict and the whole of the first cast. Hurray! (I have never before been such a nervous wreck pre-theatre. I almost couldn't eat my pre-show dinner (unheard of) ). I thought his Creature was out of this world ? electrifying. More cerebral than Jonny's and possibly with less of a childlike element, but I actually preferred that interpretation. I found it v chilling that a 'monster' was actually just as clever, sophisticated, 'well spoken' etc as any other human. And I think that's kind of the point ? that some 'people' are monsters and it's not always easy to tell. Also, I just thought B was the better actor. By miles. His vocal work was extraordinary ? an impressive and inventive range of sounds in the opening sequence (including that heartbreaking whimper, like a puppy, and the baby-like squeal) and, as he became more of a 'man' and his speech became clearer, the resonance and variety of his voice frankly put Jonny's to shame. I loved the 'antic' elements of the performance ? whipping round in a circle when he counted the seasons 'One, two, three, four', the occasional leaps and twists in the air; they gave the character an endearing quality but were also unpredictable and slightly menacing.

I'm afraid I wasn't terribly impressed with Jonny as Victor. I thought his voice and his emotions were all rather on one note (I had thought that was just a feature of his performance as the Creature, but no) and he failed to own the stage with his physical presence; he was lacking in both the arrogance and the slight nerviness that are both so crucial to the character. I thought even the best written scenes (the ones between him and the Creature) fell slightly flat despite Benedict's heroic performance. Where B captured Victor's ambition, arrogance, single-mindedness but also a vulnerability, JLM was, again, a bit one-note ...

In conclusion I think of the four different lead performances, IYSWIM, Benedict's Creature towers above the rest. The second best is his Victor, followed by JLM's Creature and JLM's Victor.

Long, sorry!