Review: Frankenstein

Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller conjure a thrilling performance of Mary Shelley's Gothic classic.

Directed by Danny Boyle Starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Jonny Lee Miller

Anticipation: Another rewriting of Frankenstein could be repetitive and dusty, yet the casting begs to differ.

Enjoyment: An electric depiction combining staggering physical theatre, masterful sound design and impeccable performances

In Retrospect: Cumberbatch and Miller excel in equally magnificent character portrayals, providing a unique insight into the perspective of The Creature.

Danny Boyle bring his Frankenstein to life, shrouded in a canopy of lightbulbs, the toll of a bell, the palpable thrum of a persistent heartbeat. Within moments, one thing is clear; this particular performance pulses with electricity. Centre stage, a spherical patchwork of skin conceals the silhouette of a man, shadowy fingers clawing in anticipation.

We meet The Creature at its birth, naked but for a loin-cloth, tottering on splayed feet. Miller, a yelping, roaring hooligan thrashing his way into existence, Cumberbatch a mewling, shrieking babe entangled in umbilical rope. Miller’s creature is alien, bemusing, savage, tumbling from the womb in a bought of confused, spasmodic cries. Cumberbatch teases his way quietly into life, delighting in his surroundings with infantile shrieks. Whilst Cumberbatch delicately portrays a new-born, Miller catalyses Bedlam on the stage, an unpredictable, unnerving, dangerous force.

Any intimacy tears with a steampunk cacophony; Shelley’s industrial backdrop surging forwards. Cumberbatch just escapes from the path of a hissing steam train. Barely a moment in this earth and our Creature faces ridicule. We watch as Miller stumbles towards a rising sun, as Cumberbatch gurgles at fluttering paper birds, as Miller luxuriates in the grass. This is not the green-skinned, dull-eyed monster we are used to; this creature is an inquisitive child. A grotesque, mutilated infant. Cumberbatch, playfully simian, leaping and crawling atop a wooden bench, Miller perpetually drooling, chin shining with spit, eyes with wonder.

The alternation of roles is fascinating to watch, both an entirely different viewing experience. Victor Frankenstein himself rarely dominates the stage, with Boyle turning our eyes to The Creature’s perspective. Intriguingly, while The Creature is an open-book, Frankenstein remains cold and inscrutable. Cumberbatch’s Frankenstein is cynical and sarcastic, the dialogue adorned with beats of humour and wit. Miller instead utilises space, experimenting with staging, and delivering each line with menacing command. Personally, I thought Cumberbatch’s Frankenstein fitted the character perfectly, his quips and remarks amplifying Victor’s unfaltering narcissism.

The fragile, hand-made aesthetic of Mark Tildesley’s design ties the themes together masterfully. Picture a farmhouse, its walls translucent and delicate as seedpods of Honesty, lit up with scarlet flames. The Creature’s dreams, a spellbinding, wonderfully jarring waltz with a corpse bride, fluttering like tissue paper caught in a storm. The skeleton of a room, furniture bone-white and sparse. Delicacy and destruction, humanity versus science.

I felt an instant fondness for each monster, relieved with the kindness offered by old man De Lacey (Karl Johnson), blind yet all-seeing, open-eyed and sharp. As The Creature learns to read and question, both actors craft pathos and humour. Cumberbatch recites Paradise Lost with grandeur and vigour, Miller with triumphant glee. I felt strangely protective of Miller’s Creature, his performance stirring a maternal response, and I was genuinely upset whenever he faced injustice and maltreatment. Frankenstein’s heartless betrayal towards The Creature broke my heart and left me reeling…I still feel a bitter pang considering it 48 hours later.

As I watched Creature and creator touch for the first time, their fingers brushing against one another, both equally spellbound by the other’s existence, I found it difficult to see where the monster ended and the human began. As the two figures disappear into a frozen wilderness, the question remains unanswered. Cumberbatch’s Victor is an impenetrable force, whilst Miller’s monster has a playful, exuberant curiosity. Just as monstrosity can be created, humanity can be nurtured. For me, Miller’s Creature was a depiction of pure humanity, led astray by the cruelty of others. This is a performance that begs to be re-watched, the conclusion left tantalisingly out of reach.

Frankenstein is streaming for free on YouTube until 7pm UK time on Thursday 7 May.