REHEARSAL IMAGES FOR LEEDS PLAYHOUSE AND IMITATING THE DOG’S RECREATION OF THE GOTHIC CLASSIC FRANKENSTEIN

Leeds Playhouse and imitating the dog have today given an exclusive look at the visually captivating and psychologically thrilling Frankenstein, inspired by Mary Shelley’s novel. The production will run in the Playhouse’s Courtyard theatre from 15-24 February ahead of a UK tour.

 

This bold, multimedia exploration of the timeless Gothic tale delves into the novel’s themes of fear and anxiety, posing the question ‘what is it to be human?’.

 

Georgia-Mae Myers (Titus Andronicus, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre; Wars of the Roses & Henry VI – Rebellion, Royal Shakespeare Company; and Dismissed, Soho Theatre) and Nedum Okonyia (Possession, Arcola Theatre) play all the roles across parallel narratives, threading together the story of Frankenstein in the late 1700s with a contemporary conversation between a young couple who discover they are pregnant and are fearful of what it means to bring life into the world.

 

The production makes great use of imitating the dog’s unique creativity as they use the stunning visuals, sounds and set created by Designer Hayley Grindle and projection by Simon Wainwright (Co-Artistic Director of imitating the dog) to enhance their cinematic storytelling.

 

As a couple confront their own fears about impending parenthood, the story of Frankenstein erupts into life around them, as everyday objects are transformed into glaciers, a ship at sea, a dissecting room, and a house on fire.

 

Director Andrew Quick said: “We’re not using live cameras in this piece. We want to focus on the intimacy that we are exploring between our two performers and the two narrative threads. We also have a movement/dance thread weaving together the parallel stories, created by Belgian choreographer Casper Dillen. This harks back to our first shows in the late 1990s when we often used dance and movement in our work.”

 

imitating the dog and Leeds Playhouse previously collaborated on the critically acclaimed unique shot-for-shot stage recreation of George A. Romero’s classic 1968 zombie movie Night of The Living Dead™ – Remix and the UK Theatre Award-winning Dracula: The Untold Story.

 

Set and Costume Designer Hayley Grindle has created a dynamic, transformative space, which houses the digital tricks and video-mapping techniques associated with imitating the dog. Her theatre credits include Macbeth (Leeds Playhouse – returning in March), Oliver Twist (Leeds Playhouse, Ramps on the Moon & UK tour) and As You Like It (Queens Theatre Hornchurch & National Theatre).

The full creative team includes: Set and Costume Designer Hayley Grindle; Video Associate Davi Callanan (Macbeth, imitating the dog); Lighting Designer Andrew Crofts (Night of The Living Dead™ – Remix and Macbeth, Leeds Playhouse and imitating the dog); Composer & Sound Designer James Hamilton (Macbeth, imitating the dog and Cinema Inferno, imitating the dog and Maison Margiela); Video System Designer Alan Cox (Night of The Living Dead™ – Remix, imitating the dog); Co-Sound Designer and Technical Lead on Tour Rory Howson; Choreographer Casper Dillen; Company Stage Manager Anja Bryan-Smith; and Casting Director Ellie Collyer-Bristow.

Frankenstein premieres at Leeds Playhouse from 15-24 February and will then tour to Oxford Playhouse, Watford Palace Theatre, The Lowry, Salford Quays, Cast, Doncaster, Mercury Theatre, Colchester, Liverpool Playhouse, The Dukes Lancaster, and Northern Stage, Newcastle. The production will also tour Switzerland in March.