Benedict Cumberbatch in "Frankenstein"

[SherlockedCAMPer]

Just saw Frankenstein with Benedict as the creature. It was amazing. I enjoyed it thoroughly. They both did good in their roles and there was even some behind the scenes before the play started. I was surprised at how many funny parts there were. Watch it if you can.

[sittything]

That was sooo good.  The set was just amazing... I can't say enough about how great just the set was.  So beautiful and so dynamic.

 

Anyhow, Benedict's creature was just heartbreaking.  When he said his first words I hurt for him.  So much pain.  It was also so fascinating to watch his growth over the course of the play, both his speech and coordination.  I would be curious to see Jonny Lee Miller's creature to see how they compare, but alas I don't think I'm going to have the time.

[Arcadia]

Just got home from seeing it. Awesome. Miller as the Creature, now I understand why they recommend you see both, would love to see BC's interpretation. Still processing the ending.

[SherlockedCAMPer]

I loved Benedict as the creature. Wish I could have seen the full of Johnny Lee Miller as the creature. I saw a snippet of the end on you tube several weeks back.

[Slithytove]

Jonny Lee Miller is extremely good as the Creature. I saw his performance for the second time, last week, and it was impressive. However, I still think Benedict's performances were best, in both roles. (Okay, so I'm completely prejudiced.). I've now seen him twice as Frankenstein, and going tomorrow to see him as the Creature for the second time. One of his strong points, I think, is that incredible voice - when he has learned to speak, as the Creature, his voice just inhabits the florid, emotional language and makes it flow. In both roles, he also manages to bring out whatever humour there is in the play, even whilst he is breaking our hearts.

 

Looking forward to tomorrow - even though the story is so unbearably sad.

[Carol the Dabbler]

To those of you who have seen both:  Are the differences due to the actors' interpretations and intonations, or have they also made changes in the script?

 

[sfmpco]

This book on Danny Boyle might be interesting, especially for his insights on Ben playing the Creature.

 

http://sherlock-series.tumblr.com/post/117025841530/danny-boyle-about-benedict-cumberbatch-in

[SherlockedCAMPer]

most interesting excerpt.  Must now find the book.  Hopefully my local library will have it.

[J.P.]

Watching an autopsy as a preparation for a play... *gulp*

[J.P.]

For the German members: Frankenstein encores are back!

http://ntlive.nationaltheatre.org.uk/productions/ntlin1-frankenstein

[Carol the Dabbler]

My new content page had the title of this thread arranged as

 

 

Benedict Cumberbatch in

"Frankenstein"

 

 

I skimmed down the page and momentarily wondered why we had a thread about Benjamin Franklin. 

[J.P.]

New glasses?

[Arcadia]

Sleep deprivation? :(

[Carol the Dabbler]

... or just plain ol' skimming too fast!

[J.P.]

So, I have seen it last week. I liked it despite the usual problems I have with theatre (people talking too loud, and moving too expressively ;) )

There is not much to say more that already have been said about the production, my little personal remarks are:

 

The beginning and Creature's struggle with his body seemed too long. Also the first confrontation with Frankenstein was very weak. There was not enough of the creator's reaction to the Creature. Then the scene with the "steam machine" was a bit unclear - but maybe that's because of the camera not showing the whole picture. I also noticed that there was a lot of the images shown from above, which is really unusual POV in a theatre at all.

 

I also had the feeling that BC's extreme way he played the Creature with, distracted from the emotional underlining of the character. I would prefer when in the time the Creature gained more and more control over his body, his disabilities and above all the facial expression would get less extreme. Ben is so good in expressing emotions with very subdued means, I missed it in the play, but again, it might be just how the theatre works.

 

Would like to see the other version too, to see Jonny's interpretation.

 

PS: I couldn't stop thinking how demanding the play was physically. And then, playing like 1/3 of it naked. Ugh…

[J.P.]

So, I have seen it last week. I liked it despite the usual problems I have with theatre (people talking too loud, and moving too expressively ;) )

There is not much to say more that already have been said about the production, my little personal remarks are:

 

The beginning and Creature's struggle with his body seemed too long. Also the first confrontation with Frankenstein was very weak. There was not enough of the creator's reaction to the Creature. Then the scene with the "steam machine" was a bit unclear - but maybe that's because of the camera not showing the whole picture. I also noticed that there was a lot of the images shown from above, which is really unusual POV in a theatre at all.

 

I also had the feeling that BC's extreme way of playing the Creature distracted from the emotional underlining of the character. I would prefer when in the time the Creature gained more and more control over his body, his disabilities and above all the distorted face would get less extreme. Ben is so good in expressing emotions with very subdued means, I missed it in the play, but again, it might be just how the theatre works.

 

Would like to see the other version too, to see Jonny's interpretation.

 

PS: I couldn't stop thinking how demanding the play was physically. And then, playing like 1/3 of it naked. Ugh…

[kimber8ada]

I saw this recently with my niece and we both liked it, and my feelings are about the same as yours, J.P. I too thought the beginning was too long and am also curious to see the alternate version.

 

I thought B.C. was great, of course, and the play had some twists and turns. I read the book a long time ago but some scenes jogged my memory.

 

Overall an enjoyable experience and not as distracting as I thought a filmed stage play would be. My niece was a theatre major in college and I was interested in her opinion and she loved it.

[J.P.]

Someone who tends to write my thoughts about many of films/plays wrote also that the whole part about how Frankenstein came to creating life was practically non existing which robs the play of an important aspect. And that for people not knowing the source material it would be hard to follow what's going on. I know the Branagh version and even though I was confused more than once.