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Champaign-Urbana's Community Theatre Resource

  • Home
  • Now Playing
  • Stoplight Review
  • AUDITIONS
  • 10 Out of 12 Review
  • Human Terrain Review
  • She Kills Monsters Review
  • Playing with Fire Review
  • Doubt - A Parable Review
  • Tartuffe Review
  • Recent Reviews
  • Review Archive
  • C-U Theatre on Race
  • C-U Theatre Resource Page
  • Globes
  • Land Acknowledgement
  • On Rick Orr Resignation
  • Show Archive
  • LU Hires Eric Schacht

Playing with Fire: After Frankenstein Review

Playing with Fire: After Frankenstein - Red Mask Players

"A parody of a god chasing the parody of the ideal man."


That  quote from the Creature to his creator (Victor Frankenstein) happens  late in Barbara Field's magical "Playing with Fire: After Frankenstein",  but in many ways it encapsulates the essence of this sequel to Mary  Shelly's 200+ year old masterpiece. Red Mask Players and Director Jamey  Couyant deliver this philosophical whirlwind with stripped down elegance  on a simple but stunning set in the intimate confines of the Kathryn  Randolph theatre in Danville.


The "parody of a god" is  Frankenstein. In his ego and brilliance, he dared to create life,  however irresponsible or reckless that creation would prove to be. Now,  in his dying days, he needs to examine his creation, and whether it is  out of scientific curiosity, guilt, remorse, or love is left up to us to  decide. Frankenstein is played with intense desperation and despair by  Richard Lee Bridgman, while the younger version of himself shown through  interwoven memories (Victor) is played by Brandon Moore.  Moore, last  seen by CU@TS as a raving  Charles Manson in You Are Perfect, has the complicated task of showing  us a younger, less burdened, more innocent man motivated by curiosity  and brilliance. Moore does this well, and gives us an incremental,  nuanced evolution (or, perhaps, devolution) towards Bridgman's tormented  aged Frankenstein. Bridgman's commitment to character is reminiscent of  Will Arnett's Gob Bluth from Arrested Development - theatrical and  arrogant, but tormented by the inability of his magnificence to be  realized. In fact, the Book of Job is very on-point with this  imagination of the suffering and unfortunate lives of both man and  creature.


The critical role of the Creature (the  "parody of the ideal man") was given to a theatre novice, Justin Smith.  It defies belief that this is Smith's first stage appearance, as he has  such command over the complex vocal and physical emotions and  expressions playing this iconic role requires. Delivering his lines  through the expelling of heavy, labored breathing, Smith heartbreakingly  and movingly explains how the Creature has stayed alive through so much  hardship because "Life, though only an accumulation of cruelties, is  dear to me…". His struggle find "humanity" when he was made "with no  memory or data" left him so confused about life and life's meaning that  he finds himself dropping philosophical notes throughout - "I did not  know what I was, but I did know there was an I."


All  of the costuming seemed out of a 19th century period piece, but could  pass as contemporary - we don't care as the story's questions and  dilemmas are timeless. The Frankensteinian makeup - so easily butchered,  was compelling, dramatic and believable - almost realistic. The younger  version of the Creature (a skillful imitation of Smith's take, by  Isaiah Easton) had somewhat distractingly dissimilar scarring and sewing  patterns - perhaps that can be corrected or serves a purpose/narrative  that I couldn't grasp.


The cast is rounded out by  Amanda Brown as Victor's young love, Elizabeth, and Red Mask legend  Edward Sant as the heavily accented and unexpectedly comic Professor  Krempe. Brown often seemed to be stifling a laugh as though she were in  on a private inside joke of some kind - perhaps that was conveying her  innocence and love, but I also wondered if it was a reaction of awe to  her presence upon such a magnificent set and with such inspired  performances surrounding her on the stage.


Don't miss  this chance to dive deep into thought and see skilled actors tell a  brilliantly conceived final chapter to an iconic saga. You will find  yourself contemplating contemporary issues of artificial intelligence  and whether such a thing can exist, but if it can what the boundaries  are for it - and the responsibilities we have in creating it.


Congratulations to Red Mask and all involved with this incredible show!

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