Review: Frankenstein at Bridge House Theatre, Penge 21 Oct – 1 Nov 2025

‘Thoughtful take on a timeless but tricky classic’ ★★★ ½    



Mary Shelley’s 1818 gothic masterpiece has been adapted many times for film and theatre although it comes with challenges. How do you present a monster in human form, created by an inventor and make it realistic? Andrew Hobbs’s quite pleasing take on it often feels very faithful to the novel in that some of the dialogue is pure Shelley. On the other hand he develops the plot in a new way by making Frankenstein female (Megan Carter - strong) which interestingly changes the relationship with her creation. That make it feel appropriately feminist since it was Shelley’s mother, Mary Wollstonecraft who wrote the seminally feminist A Vindication of the Rights of Women in 1792.

At its heart, though, the novel and this stage version of it explore the nature of humanity and that feels completely timeless. Although the created creature (Paul Winterford – excellent) learns to speak articulately and to express human needs, everyone he (it?) meets struggles to regard him as fully human.

We start aboard Prometheus where the crew are battling against dangerous ice. When Victoria Frankenstein is rescued and brought aboard she tells Captain Robert Walton (Maximillian L’Olive) her story. After the interval it’s the Creature who narrates. Stories within stories are hard to do on stage but this production more or less carries it off.

It’s a cast of six, one of whom - Alistair Smith -  provides almost continuous, atmospheric keyboard music which he has composed. He also contributes occasional small roles from his position in the corner. Carter and the Creature remain in role but the other three multi-role and it’s unusually effective because they help each other seamlessly in and out of costumes as they morph from character to character. Alice Gold is outstanding as a gruff sailor, Victoria’s sister, a county girl who befriends the Creature, a Scottish doctor and more. She is always convincing in her versatility.

Luke Adamson’s lighting design ably supports the action with lots of disturbing shadows in what is technically quite a busy production. 

By the end one is indeed persuaded that this is “a place mankind should never go” which is really the whole point.

Frankenstein

Adapted from Mary Shelley by Andrew and David Hobbs

Directed by Andrew Hobbs

British Touring Shakespeare

Bridge House Theatre, Penge

BOX OFFICE

https://thebridgehousetheatre.co.uk/shows/frankenstein/