SCOTTISH ACTRESS EILIDH LOAN TO STAR IN THE NEW THEATRICAL ADAPTATION OF MARY SHELLEY’S FRANKENSTEIN

Rona Munro’s brilliant new adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Gothic masterpiece Frankenstein places the writer herself amongst the action, as she wrestles with her creation and with the stark realities facing revolutionary young women, then and now

Scottish screen actress Eilidh Loan is to star in the new theatrical adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, depicting Shelley herself onstage as the author personally unfolding her monstrous tale of creature and creator. With a cast also including Ben Castle-Gibb, Thierry Mabonga, Sarah MacGillivray, Natali McCleary, Michael Moreland and Greg Powrie, the seminal 1818 gothic horror novel adapted by award-winning writer Rona Munro will now run until 7 March 2020 as new dates are added.

An eighteen-year-old girl, Mary Shelley, dreams up a monster whose tragic story will capture the imaginations of generations to come.

A young scientist by the name of Frankenstein breathes life into a gruesome body. Banished into an indifferent world, Frankenstein’s creature desperately seeks out his true identity, but the agony of rejection and a broken promise push him into darkness. Dangerous and vengeful, the creature threatens to obliterate Frankenstein and everyone he loves, in a ferocious and bloodthirsty hunt for his maker.

Rona Munro’s brilliant new adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Gothic masterpiece places the writer herself amongst the action, as she wrestles with her creation and with the stark realities facing revolutionary young women, then and now.

Ben Castle-Gibb will play Frankenstein, the creature’s creator, making his professional debut. Having trained at Arts Educational Schools, his credits while training include: It Never Happened, Treasure Island, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, As You Like It, Radicalisation Of Bradley Manning and As You Like It.

Eilidh Loan will play Mary Shelley, the author unpacking her own horrific tale. Eilidh’s screen credits include: London Kills (BBC, Acorn TV), Doctors (BBC), Clique (BBC) and England’s Forgotten Queen (BBC). Her stage credits include: Me & My Left Ball (Tristan Bates Theatre). 

Thierry Mabonga plays Henry/Walton. His theatre credits include: Low Pay? Don’t Pay!(Glasgow Life), First Snow (NTS Canada Tour), Sleeping Beauty (Glasgow Life), First Snow(National Theatre of Scotland), Richard III (Perth Theatre), Brothers Karamazov (Tron Theatre), Titus Andronicus (Dundee Rep), Last Dream On Earth (National Theatre of Scotland), and Skins and Hoods (Cie du Veilleur). His screen credits include The Split (BBC), Trust Me (BBC), The Replacement (BBC), Armchair Detectives (BBC) and Trainspotting 2 (Cloud Eight Films).

Sarah MacGillivray plays Mother/Justine. Her stage credits include: Marie (Perth Theatre/House of Mirth), Beauty and the Beast (Fizzgig Productions), Sinatra: The Final Curtain (Kingdom Theatre), Hex (Strange Town) and A Million Hearts in Stereo(RCS/Arches). Her screen credits include: Outlander (Sony), Glasshouse (Cupla Films) and Flight Risk (Vivid Affect Films).

Natali McCleary plays Elizabeth/Safie. Recent theatre credits include: Cool Dads (Oran Mor), The Dark Carnival (Vanishing Point), Dear Europe (National Theatre Scotland), How To Fix A Broken Wing (Catherine Wheels), Beg Borrow Steal (Oran Mor) and Secret Show 1(Blood Of The Young, The Tron). Her screen credits include: Shetland (ITV), Long Night At Blackstone (BBC), Hings (BBC), Logan High (BBC) and Country Music (Three Chords Productions Ltd). 

Michael Moreland will play The Monster. His stage credits include Knives and Hens and Richard III (Perth Theatre), Democracy (Rapture Theatre Company & Scottish Tour), A Mad World My Masters (English Touring Theatre), All My Sons (Rapture Theatre Company & Scottish Tour), The Roaring Girl, The White Devil and The Witch of Edmonton (Royal Shakespeare Company),  Macbeth (Perth Theatre/Tron Theatre), What Every Woman Knows (Royal Exchange Manchester), The Found Man (Traverse Theatre) and Gagarin Way(Arts Theatre). His screen credits include: Years & Years (BBC), Doctors (BBC), and Shetland (ITV).

Greg Powrie plays Father/Master/Waldman. His theatre credits include: Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead (Piccadilly Theatre), The Deep Blue Sea (Theatre Royal Haymarket),Descent and The Cone Gatherers (APA Productions), The Mysterious Death of Netta Fornario and Singing Far Into The Night (Mull Theatre Co.), Blue/Orange (Rapture Theatre),Kevin’s Bed (Borderline) and Relatively Speaking (Northcott Theatre Exeter & Theatre Royal Basingstoke). His screen credits include Last Commanders (BBC), Outlander (Amazon), Taggart ITV), River City (BBC), Still Game (BBC) and Doctor Finlay (BBC).

Writer Rona Munro has written extensively for stage, radio, film and television. Her recent theatre credits include Lucy Barton, adapted from the novel by Elizabeth Strout and performed by Laura Linney at the Bridge Theatre London in 2018-19. Other credits includeThe James Plays: a trilogy of award-winning plays produced by the National Theatre of Scotland, the National Theatre UK and Edinburgh International Festival, Scuttlers (Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester), Little Eagles (Royal Shakespeare Company) and Iron (Traverse Theatre, Royal Court Theatre) for which she won the John Whiting Award in 2003.

Her television credits include the BAFTA-nominated Bumping the Odds (BBC Scotland) and Rehab (BBC Two), and her films include Ladybird Ladybird and Oranges and Sunshine. Her work for radio includes several dramas for The Stanley Baxter Playhouse. Rona is the only writer so far to have contributed episodes to both the classic and contemporary series ofDoctor Who (BBC One).

The production will be directed by Patricia Benecke, with composition and sound design by Simon Slater, lighting design by Grant Anderson, design by Becky Minto and movement direction by Jonnie Riordan.

LISTINGS

5 – 21 September (performances vary)  Perth Theatre, Perth horsecross.co.uk

24 – 28 September  Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury marlowetheatre.com

2 – 12 October  Belgrade Theatre, Coventry belgrade.co.uk

14 – 19 October  Brighton Theatre Royal, Brighton atgtickets.com 

21 – 26 October  King’s Theatre, Edinburgh capitaltheatres.com

28 October – 2 November  New Theatre, Cardiff newtheatrecardiff.co.uk

4 – 9 November  Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford yvonne-arnaud.co.uk

11 – 16 November  Liverpool Playhouse, Liverpool everymanplayhouse.com

18 – 23 November  Richmond Theatre, Richmond atgtickets.com 

25 – 30 November  Theatre Royal Glasgow, Glasgow atgtickets.com 

13 – 18 January  Malvern Theatres, Malvern malvern-theatres.co.uk

20 – 25 January  Derby Theatre, Derby derbytheatre.co.uk

27 January – 1 February  Theatr Clwyd, Mold theatrclwyd.com

4 – 8 February  His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen aberdeenperformingarts.com

10 – 15 February Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield thelbt.org

18 – 22 February  Eden Court, Inverness eden-court.co.uk

24 – 29 February  Middleton Arena, Manchester link4life.org

2 – 7 March  Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, Aylesbury atgtickets.com