National FIlm Theatre Production of Frankenstien at the @mediamuseum

[miss_s_b]

Was very faithful to the book, apart from in one important aspect which I will get to shortly. Had beautiful set design, and amazing, AMAZING make-up. Had stunningly good performances from all concerned, even the little lad who played William. And having seen it, I feel sick to my stomach.

You see, nobody told me that the one major change they made, after being very faithful to the spirit and letter of the book throughout, is that before the Creature kills Elizabeth he brutally rapes her and screams "Now I am a MAN!"

If this had been a film, there would have been a warning about strong sexual violence and I wouldn't have gone to see it, because I know my triggers well enough. I have no desire to ban this sort of thing, or any sort of artistic expression, but I would like to make an informed choice about what I hand over money to see. But it wasn't a film, it was a filmed theatre production, so there were no warnings. I would have really appreciated a warning. If I had had a warning, I would not have gone, because the performances were really very good, and I won't sleep tonight they were so convincing.

So next time I am planning to go see a national theatre production I will be waiting until someone I know and trust has seen it, and then I can ask them about it. And then they can tell me Oh yes, it's very faithful to the source material, well, aside from the fact that they inserted a completely gratuitous and unnecessary brutal rape scene which adds nothing to the plot and will traumatise you. But apart from that it's very good.

I'm going to shout at Question Time for a bit now. Hopefully that will work as brain bleach.

Comments

[davegodfrey]

Fuck. I haven't seen this one, but I really wanted to (possibly both ways round). Now I don't, which is a shame because as with you everything I've heard says its fantastic.

*hugs*

[miss_s_b]

It is very good, it really is. IF you can cope with the rapeyness.