UPDATE: Talkbackers beeter and glink have seen previews to Danny Boyle and Nick Dear's FRANKENSTEIN, and they seem very positive, but I'll just post what they said and leave you to it. Here's beeter:
I saw one of the preview performances with Jonny Lee Miller as the creature. Very good play, clever production. There's not a huge amount for Frankenstein to do in terms of performance to be honest, it's very much the creature's play. I've never been a fan of Miller but he changed my perception of him as a result of his very well controlled performance.
Some of the supporting cast (or maybe just the parts themselves) are a bit ropey, but it was a preview after all.
The production makes very good use of the space of the stage, elements of the scenery dropping down from the ceiling or rising up from the floor as necessary etc.
They're broadcasting them as live to cinemas in March. I'll be seeing the Cumberbatch as creature version for sure. Can't quite imagine him as the creature yet.
And here's glink:
Caught a preview thanks to a friend working on it - Jonny Lee Miller was on monster duty and it was a suitably electric performance, really going for it. And Benedict Cumberbatch was also good, though Frankie's the less interesting part in this adaptation.
Danny Boyle's direction was also clearly passionate (by my mate's account, he hangs on every word of this as much as he does in the edit suite) and made for plenty of spectacle.
Only downer was some of the script - it's a tricky book to adapt and sags a bit in the middle, and some dodgy casting around the leads (but that's often down to the National's dictates rather than an individual production). Theatre hacks might not completely love it, but plenty of the younger audience members there (and some of those less used to theatre) were loving it. There's definitely a cracking film version inside there somewhere.
Like I said, really hope this tours. Sounds amazing. If Danny Boyle does do this as a film, he should make two of them with the actors switching roles. I don't think that's ever been done before for any film property. I'd really love to see that.
Nordling here.
Starting next Tuesday at the National Theatre in London and continuing through March, Danny Boyle will direct an adaptation of Mary Shelley's FRANKENSTEIN, written by playwright Nick Dear. Benedict Cumberbatch (currently doing a wonderful job playing Sherlock Holmes in the BBC's television production of SHERLOCK) and Jonny Lee Miller (HACKERS, TRAINSPOTTING) are playing Frankenstein and the Monster. The twist is, depending on whichever night the play is showing, Cumberbatch and Miller could be playing either role. I hope this tours the States, because if this trailer is any indication, we're in for a real treat.
I love the way the trailer shifts between the actors. This strikes a real classical tone with the dialogue, which I've always felt was missing from most adaptations of the material. I know a remake of FRANKENSTEIN's been in the works for a while now, under different directors and different studios, but if this trailer is accurate in the tone of the piece, Danny Boyle taking a swing at it and adapting this for film would be an excellent choice.
Anyone going to see this, or has anyone seen any preview performances? Drop us a line here at Ain't It Cool!
Nordling, out.
