Trick or Treat at the Carpenter Science TheatreIf you take your kids to “Frankenstein Lives!,” Douglas Jones’ latest commissioned play at the Science Museum of Virginia, they are in for a treat. They won’t be disappointed in the high-voltage, 50-minute production complete with thunderous sound effects, startling lighting, foreboding music and, of course, the infamous monster. The trick is — and you may want to keep this a secret — your kids just might learn a thing or two. They might learn about literature: how Mary Shelley at the tender age of 18 was inspired to write the story of a constructed creature whose dreadful image leaped from the pages of her novel and has survived more than a hundred years. They might learn about science: how insulators and electrical conductors actually work. When they see sparks fly onstage, they are bound to get the message. They also may learn about humanity: how an unloved being can suffer. Artistic Director Larry Gard, who composed the background music, pools Carpenter Science Theatre Company’s talented resources to achieve an electrifying production. Dramaturge Twyla Kitts, through her extensive research, came up with the skeletal premise of the play. She worked closely with Richmond playwright Douglas Jones, whose distinctive style breathed poetic life into the drama. The dynamic work of Lighting Designer Lynne Hartman and Technical Director Turtle Swadlo is as integral to the show as its actors. While Peter Schmidt plays his heart out as the obsessed poet Percy Shelley and the mad scientist Victor Frankenstein, Audrey Stubblefield demonstrates versatility in her dual roles as the young, tormented author Mary Shelley and the equally tormented monster. Her vocal and facial contortions, with the aid of inventive lighting, instantly transform her from woman to beast. While the play is jampacked with interesting exposition, it is fair to warn you that very young children could be frightened by the lighting and sound effects. Oh, and there is another trick: While your older children may very well learn something about literature, science and humanity, you, too, may get a lesson in life: how a parent’s love or neglect can make a world of difference. — Mathis Parker |
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