by Grant Furuholmen
Movies will make you famous; Television will make you rich; But theatre will make you good.” Terrance Mann
As an avid lover and study of these different medium, I appreciate that although in the same family, these choices of expressions cannot be any more different. Having worked on theatre shows as well as movies such as Thor 2, I can attest to this personally.
Movies will make you famous; Television will make you rich; But theatre will make you good.” Terrance Mann
As an avid lover and study of these different medium, I appreciate that although in the same family, these choices of expressions cannot be any more different. Having worked on theatre shows as well as movies such as Thor 2, I can attest to this personally.
I have always been a regular visitor to the cinema and I personally love how you can now watch theatre shows as well as concerts on the big screen. So when I learned that they were showing Danny Boyles version of Frankenstein from the National Theatre I had to go and watch it. As I have a premium unlimited card this cost me only £5, well worth it. The National Theatre is an amazing venue, vast in grace and applauds from both the audience to the cast. My worry (though it was very slight given the names involved in the production) was that with theatre you light for the human eye, for the best for the theatre goers, and so to screen it for the screen,I wondered if they would have needed to increase the exposure of the cameras which would affect the detail of the picture. There was no worry of that, they had lit it perfectly.
Frankenstein is a novel wrote by Mary Shelley when she was just 18 years old while staying at a villa in Switzerland, apparently in a waking dream. The story depicts an eccentric inventor named Victor Frankenstein who’s frantic and erratic experiments results in the form of a grotesque and emotionless creature. The novel explores many themes, such as birth, loneliness, murder and love as well as creation, many themes that still live with us all today. This monster, void of any dreams and conscience remains an intriguing character of fiction whose story evolves from a childish but monstrous figure into a confused shadow of his creator - exploring his own views on mankind while in search of Victor to promise him a disturbing deal.
Oscar-winner director Danny Boyle gives us a unique version of this classic gothic tale by alternating the roles of the monster and the inventor between the two lead actors Benedict Cumberbatch (BBC’s Sherlock and Star Trek into the Darkness) and Johnny Lee Miller (Trainspotting), both of whom won an Olivier award for their dramatic performances.
Oscar-winner director Danny Boyle gives us a unique version of this classic gothic tale by alternating the roles of the monster and the inventor between the two lead actors Benedict Cumberbatch (BBC’s Sherlock and Star Trek into the Darkness) and Johnny Lee Miller (Trainspotting), both of whom won an Olivier award for their dramatic performances.
I saw the version of Cumberbatch in the role of the monster. Not that I have anything against Miller, but to me, Cumberbatch is the most diverse and talented actor today. He has portrayed Stephen Hawking’s perfectly, is a brilliant Sherlock Holmes, a fantastic villain in Star Trek as well as a dragon and necromancer in the upcoming Hobbit film. He played the role perfectly. There wasn’t a word for the first 6-7 minutes of the play. Instead, you become immersed in a pain-rallied Cumberbatch emerging from a heartbeat. His joints appear unformed and he has a bewildered look behind his eyes. You feel as though he is in pain, befalling sympathy onto a creature otherwise hideous. Throughout the two hours play he continues to make you fear him, laugh with him, love him and sympathise with him. Miller was equally perfect as the doctor, alternating from feelings of proudness to hatred as they form a unique bond where neither seems to be able to live in a world without each other.
Overall, it is a masterstroke of fictional storytelling and theatre production. Beautifully acted and wonderfully directed, this show helps celebrate the 50th anniversary of the National Theatre Company on the big screen.
You can see Miller as the Monster in Cinemas on November the 21st!
Overall, it is a masterstroke of fictional storytelling and theatre production. Beautifully acted and wonderfully directed, this show helps celebrate the 50th anniversary of the National Theatre Company on the big screen.
You can see Miller as the Monster in Cinemas on November the 21st!
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