Reviewed by Brigitte Baden-Rennie
Battersea Arts Centre won an off West End award when Frankenstein: How to Make a Monster first premiered at the Centre in 2018. Seeing this Australian premiere on Tuesday night made it apparently clear why. An audience comprising a wide scope of ages did not just view this production, they were immersed in it. Beginning and ending the evening with a showcase of beatboxing from BACs workshops at Carclew, which will run throughout the festival, to participating in producing quintessential beatbox vocal percussions, led by the company’s artistic director, Conrad Murray. For beatbox virgins out there, at its basic form it’s reproducing the sound of kick drums, snares and high hats. Sounds simple? It’s not. This reviewer is a singer and has tried almost every technique to produce sounds from the classical through to the belt and I’ve never heard anything like this. Granted, these young performers are at the top of their field but the results are out of this world.
The inspired hook to this production is Mary Wollstonecraft’s Frankenstein published in 1880. A novel whose protagonist challenges the role of god by producing a sapien being because it was possible but with unknown and unthought of consequences.
From this premise BAC explored the question of what is it to be human.
Its 6 core performers, whose monikers are Aminita, Glitch, WIZ-RD, Native, ABH and Grove, dance, sing, rap and beatbox and never leave the stage. High quality vocals driven and supported by a mix of time signatures on a stage lit simply and yet effectively by Sherry Ceonen.
The talented performers in action
Victor Frankenstein’s construction of the monster, it’s lungs, heart and brain is individually explored. A clever segue into the consequences of modern technology is particular poignant. Just like Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, modern technology has helped create monsters. One’s existence being validated by shares and likes “protected by anonymity” and succinctly questioned in lyrics such as “when does confidence become arrogance”.
This is a slick, high calibre and organically crafted production. In every festival season one hopes to find a show that is out of the ordinary, that excites and surprises. Hallelujah we have one here in spades. FIVE STARS.
Heads up on the location: from North Terrace walk down the right hand side of the Art Gallery and keep going straight. Google maps will not take you there. Easiest from Victoria Drive. Level 6 above the Uni Bar – where some of you, like myself, wasted a good portion of ones academic life!
Frankenstein: How to make a monster is on at RCC, The Attic, Adelaide University until 15 March. Tickets and more information on the Adelaide Fringe website below:
https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/frankenstein-how-to-make-a-monster-af2020
