Frankenstein - a tragedy, a comedy, a love story

How could I possibly have forgotten to tell you about 'Frankenstein'? Well, there is something so all consuming about directing a play, especially with a cast of light entertainers, that is so exhausting that after it is over I tend to take to bed for a fortnight.

'Frankenstein' was written for us by Arkady, my darling carer/housemate/pseudo-brother and Matt Voice, the adorable chap pretending to be middle-aged in the middle of the photo below. NB. I do realise Mary Shelley wrote the 'Frankenstein' but this 'Frankenstein' was written by my lovely boys.

So yes after a heavy editing in which I tore out the proposal to end a tragi-comedy with a parody song I took the role of director alongside Matt, for whom it was his first time directing(he's not half as bossy as me). Our first major challenge came due to our company performing a double bill. When an American walked into our casting session Matt and I fell in love. We never knew Victor Frankenstein would be American but this man was our Victor Frankenstein, unfortunately he was being coveted as a pantomime dame for the other show.
I don't think I've ever had to be so stubborn as when I was fighting for my (leading) man but in the end we got our cast and set about sculpting our characters into 3D.

The two either side of Matt in the photo are our main characters Victor and Elizabeth Frankenstein. The story is an examination of human frailty. Victor's reason for bringing a dead colleague back to life is seemingly to help his department who cannot afford a new lecturer but an untold story is hinted at throughout in the absence of a child to continue the Frankenstein family line. These two are the most wonderful pair I have ever directed. Initially Matt and I were concerned about a lack of chemistry between them but after an hour shut in a room doing trust exercises involving a blindfold and Matt's shoe they started to become the married couple we were trying to convey - so comfortable with each other, wanting the best for one another. They finally got together on the night of the final show. They were the love story we never expected to come out of a tragi-comedy.

So this is a double achievement, introducing Elizabeth and Victor and pulling off a tragi-comedy, which I still think is a challenging genre. I wanted to make people laugh and make people cry in one sitting and this is something we achieved.