A Foolish Figure

We saw the reverse casting of Frankenstein.  I did like the original better overall.  But the reverse was absolutely excellent, and some things were done better for both characters.  A great experience overall, and something I definitely would buy on DVD if it should turn out that they lied, and release it.

HOWEVER

Remember I said yesterday I was all freaked out about disgusting Cumberbitches, and then it turned out I had nothing to fear?   I actually felt a bit bad for being so judgmental. 

I no longer feel that way.

The rape/murder scene when the monster kills Elizabeth was much worse with Miller's monster -- louder and longer and just... well, it's meant to be horrifying, but I was much more horrified than yesterday.  In fact, if I'd known I wouldn't have brought my little brother..

The Cumberbitches laughed.  I am not joking.  LAUGHED. 

I am still angry.

Lil' Bro and I went to see the original casting version of Danny Boyle's Frankenstein today.  (Jonny Lee Miller as Frankenstein, Benedict Cumberbatch as the monster). 

First, the adventure, because no moment in my life is complete without one.  Not that exciting this time, but hey, you take what you can get.  We live about an hour from New Brunswick, where it was playing.  We were going to leave at 5:30 for a 7:00 showing, but decided to leave around 4:45 so we could stop for dinner.  We stopped at Friendly's.  We ate really quickly.  Probably more quickly than necessary.  But I wanted to be on time.  At 5:30, as we were gobbling down our entrees, I asked the Bro if he wanted Ice Cream.  I don't know why I had to ask.  So I stopped the waitress and asked if we could make our ice cream orders, even though we were only halfway through our meals, for the sake of time.  "Sure!" she said.  At 5:40 I was definitely done with my meal, though Lil' Bro, who believes (he told me this) that eating as much as possible is a challenge that he must accept, was still bravely disposing of french fries.  At 5:45 he was done.  At 5:50, I started staring at the fountain.  At 5:55 I handed Lil' Bro the credit card with instructions that he ask for the check when the ice cream was served, so I could go to the ladies room.  At 6:00 I came back to find the table empty.  By 6:05  I was getting a bit twitchy.  We didn't get the ice cream until 6:10.  But we got there in time, so it was all good. 

Second, the theatre.  We got out of our car, and I saw a mini-van across from it.  It had a TARDIS sticker.  It had Doctor Who quotations.  It had Sherlock stickers.  It had an "I AM SHER LOCKED" sticker. And at that moment I realized OH NO!   CUMBERBITCHES!!!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!  I heard from another friend recently that they can be really disgusting, as if their self-proclaimed name was not evidence enough.  WHAT IF I HAD TO ENDURE THEM ALL THROUGH THE SHOW!!!!!!!!!  Then, I noticed that the theatre was filled with mostly all girls.  Then I saw someone in a Sherlock hat (Random aside -- You'd think the Kitty Reilly bathroom scene would be a discouragement for that behaior?).  I was really worried.  I chose a row where the people looked sensible (near an old man and his son, for example) and hoped for the best.  It turned out that I didn't have much to fear.  Every time the Monster said anything even remotely possibly a tad sad, they all went AAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Which was irritating, but not the end of the world.  I will be amused if Cumberbatch!Frankenstein elicits this response.  Amused and disgusted.  But more amused.

The show itself.  I have a love-hate relationship with Frankenstein.  The story is reasonably interesting.  It is a Paradise Lost adaptation -- one of my hobby-horses.  And it's an excellent example of Romanticism.  But the writing is HORRIBLE.  Besides, it's an excellent example of Romanticism.

The writer (whose name has escaped me) took all the best things from the book, in my opinion.  He really focused on the Paradise Lost connections.  Also it was no longer Mary Shelley's she-really-could-have-used-an-editor writing.  (Though the weird monster-birthing scene had to have been five minutes long... I am thinking of that as a nod to her writing.  :-P )  I really felt for the characters in a way that I don't when I read the book.  I got a bit teary several times.  And there was a smattering of humor, which was refreshing just because it was humor, and also because it seemed to make light of some of the more ridiculous things that Mary Shelley seems to take very seriously.  (The monster learning to read from Paradise Lost, for example.)  It was more horrible as well -- Elizabeth died in a way that when it happened I realized I should have seen coming the whole time but didn't

The set was very interesting.  Minimalist with a rotating-plus-other-weird-stuff stage.  The lighting was hundreds of bulbs with very obvious filaments.  It looked cool, and they did a lot of neat effects with them.  I felt like they were trying to say something very very deep about industry that didn't quite come through.  I mean, certainly there was discussion of the whole scientist-plays-God aspect of Frankenstein, but the random train thing made of gears was puzzling.

And finally, the acting.  I'm going to see the reverse casting tomorrow, but I am pretty sure this is a better fit.  Physically speaking Cumberbatch as the monster and Miller as Frankenstein is the obvious choice.  Miller is small and ferrety looking.  Cumberbatch is a bit taller, and just WEIRD looking.  To quote Lil' Bro, "He almost looks more normal as the monster."  Cumberbatch also has a stronger voice, which fit for the interaction between Frankenstein and his monster.  And finally, though I might be unfair to judge this from this production (since the monster gives more acting opportunity) I do think Cumberbatch is a better actor, and the monster is a demanding role.  That being said, I'm sure the reverse casting will be wonderful.  I just suspect that this is the better of the two versions.

Finally, two details for any interested seeing it in the future.  The rumors of Cumberbatch nudity were grossly exaggerated. He is never nude, though I echo my brother in his opinion that when he was wearing only pants, "I saw more of Cumberbatch than I ever wanted to see.  Ever."  But I suppose the monster should gross us out a bit, so yeah... And then, no one mentioned the topless female corpse in the I'll-make-you-a-bride-JUST-KIDDING-LET-ME-TEAR-HER-TO-SHREDS-IN-FRONT-OF-YOU!!!! scene.  But I thought it was appropriate to the production, even if it meant my brother couldn't watch it. 

I guess that's all.  An overall enjoyable experience.  I would highly recommend it, and I sincerely hope it makes it to DVD.