“Frankenstein: The Fire and the Silence” premiered at Daneside Theatre in Congleton on Tuesday.
Adapted for stage by Congleton Players, “The Fire and the Silence” follows on from the classic Mary Shelley “Frankenstein”, after The Creature’s mutual blood-oath takes he and his creator into the Arctic wastes.
Robin Jackson wrote the script (with support from Richard Stokes and Philip Shelley). He respects the source material by writing a sequel faithful to Shelley’s work and also a standalone story. The script provides context to the events that previously took place for those who do not know the original story.
The play impresses with its set-design. Canvas screens were used for projected backgrounds to help set certain landscapes/settings, while in other scenes, these screens are pulled away to reveal actual set-builds for a more intimate scenario, like the upper and lower decks of a ship, as well as an Arctic Tavern.
Original and evocative music was composed by Nicholas Peters. The soundtrack helped provide atmosphere and reflect the show’s essence, along with great costumes, prosthetics, the smoke and lighting.
Sam Hands reprises his role of The Creature from the 2024 “Frankenstein” production and delivered another mesmerising performance, capturing the raw, animalistic nature of Frankenstein’s monstrosity while imbuing the intellect and wounded soul that makes The Creature so tragic.
Likewise, James Freeman gave an exemplary performance as Victor Frankenstein, portraying the once-obsessive genius as a now-broken man, disillusioned with his science and consumed with self-loathing.
The rest of the cast all performed brilliantly, with members from the 2024 Frankenstein show reprising their roles of characters from Shelley’s tale, and newcomers completing the cast and filling out the ensemble.
There was interaction with the cast and audience as characters from the Arctic Tavern talked among themselves and conversed with theatregoers.
The play is an adult tale with plenty of depth and intensity.
It runs at the Daneside Theatre tonight (Thursday) and concludes on Saturday. Tickets from the tourist information centre at Congleton Town Hall or via ticketsource.co.uk.
(Photo: Mick Byrne Photography).
