Frankenstein: The Monster Play

This dramatization of the Mary Shelley novel captures all the horror, mystery and suspense that the world has come to associate with the title Frankenstein. We see the monster come to life in the laboratory. We see his innocent curiosity as he stumbles around in his strange new world. We see him longing for friendship and affection from other creatures ... especially from Dr. Frankenstein's kind and beautiful fiancée, Elizabeth. We see the world reject him and hate him simply because he is different. And we see him become a ferocious, terrifying monster because he had no other way to go. Frankenstein: The Monster Play is a sensitive, suspenseful, horror-filled drama for all groups. This version adheres to the novel much more faithfully than the movie versions do. Shelley's monster was intelligent, curious and yearning for companionship. Among other things, the Frankenstein monster symbolizes the uncontrollable monster that science can become. And, of course, the monster symbolizes all the misfits in the world—the unloved, unwanted specimens of humankind. Since the monster does not look like the rest of us, we call him ugly and we fear him. And because we fear him, we want to destroy him. Shelley gave her monster a kind and tender heart, a love for people and a desire to be loved in return. But he was never loved, not by one single person.