Saturday, August 29, 2026
Review: Frankenstein at Greenwich Theatre, 28 August 2026
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In Mary Shelley's novel, Victor Frankenstein is impressed by the sight of Greenwich as he sails up the Thames, noting that it's a place "which I had heard of even in my country". Well, now Frankenstein is in Greenwich and can enjoy it up close, courtesy of the British Youth Music Theatre's revival.
Jimmy Jewell and Nick Stimson's musical adaptation of the novel was originally performed 20 years ago, and has lain dormant ever since. Now, appropriately given the subject matter, it's been dug up, dusted off, sewn back together and given a bolt of lightning to the heart courtesy of a committed and enthusiastic new generation of performers.
This take on Shelley's story pares the story back to its skeleton, zipping through the entire novel in about an hour and a half. Victor Frankenstein's childhood (with the production rapidly cycling through actors to show him aging) is dealt with in the blink of an eye - the spooky boy with bags under his eyes and a fascination with biological intricacies becomes a spooky man with bags under his eyes and a fascination with biological intricacies. And is now the owner of a snazzy leather jacket.
The promo promised a show that "never slows to catch its breath". It's safe to say that was achieved: the show runs straight through with no interval, the stage hums with life in repeated crowd scenes, and the fat-free storytelling propels the show forward.
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| Eleni Chivers |
Eleni Chivers' lead role as the adult Victor Frankenstein anchors the whole thing, bringing a broadly Tim Burton-esque protagonist vibe to the character, like the Corpse Bride hero yanked out of stop motion. There's a nice balance of determination and romanticism to this Victor, though balanced against a physical frailty shown by pale skin that hasn't seen the sun in weeks and eyes that scream insomnia. Chivers anchors the show and, while I'm not sure what their stage background is, their confidence and apparent experience visibly rub off on the rest of the cast.
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| Freddie Summers |
Freddie Summers is an effective counterpart to Chivers as the Creature, delivering the combination of physical awkwardness and untapped power you want to see in this role. That's fortunate, because the make-up and costuming weren't nearly gruesome enough for my tastes. This character is made of chopped-up and sewn-together corpses! Give me something that'll turn my stomach and show me why people are repulsed and driven to violence by his presence!
My only other real gripe is that throughout the show songs are sung by the entire cast in chorus. Unfortunately, everybody is just out of sync enough to render the lyrics inaudible. I get that nailing this is hard while also working through choreo - that Matilda manages it with a similarly young cast only makes me respect that show more.
I've also got to throw some praise towards director Dean Johnson for blocking this so well, not to mention throwing in a thematically resonant recreation of Michelangelo's The Creation of Adam from the Sistine Chapel, which gets neatly inverted in the show's final moments, together with the repeated symbolic use of fire to drive the whole "Modern Prometheus" thing home.
This is by no means a perfect show, but it's clearly been assembled with passion, commitment, and smart allocation of talent. Any flaws are more than capable of being ironed out, and I hope this production has a future beyond the Greenwich Theatre.
Frankenstein is at the Greenwich Theatre until August 30. Tickets here.
Photos by Charlie Flint.
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