CEDAR CITY — As part of the 65th anniversary of the Utah Shakespeare Festival comes an evocative retelling of the classic gothic horror novel, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Adapted by David Catlin and performed in the Eileen and Allen Anes Studio Theatre, the play takes place on a dark and stormy night in 1816’s Switzerland where a young Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, her husband Percy Bysshe Shelley, her stepsister Claire Clairmont and friends Lord Byron and Dr. John Polidori challenge each other to tell a frightful tale. As Mary begins to craft her tale, what follows is a haunting, spine-tingling experience with the friends transitioning into the characters of Mary’s story – the lines between reality and imagination blurred – culminating in the birth of literature’s most menacing monster.
Upon entering the theatre, one will experience a dark and moody ambiance complete with the sound of rainfall, flickering lights coming from a chandelier and wall sconces as well as a misty fog. Minimal set pieces adorned the moderately sized stage including a chaise, row boat and armoire. With a slight chill in the air, this atmosphere set the perfect tone for the performance, allowing for a seamless shift as the production began.
Under the direction of Risa Brainin, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is performed by a cast of five with each actor portraying multiple characters. Brainin’s superb direction resulted in a unified, impeccable cast with each actor giving an unforgettable performance filled with emotion, introspection, and even a little humor.
Emily Fury Daly as Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin/Elizabeth Lavenza gave a stunningly beautiful performance. Daly’s transitions between characters were sound and flawless with no hint of apprehension particularly as she weaved from one accent to another. One of the more beautiful moments was when Daly revealed the fates of Percy, Byron, Claire, Polidor and Mary – a poignant and emotional epilogue that allowed for a breathtaking ending to the performance.
Jacob Dresch as Percy Bysshe Shelley/Victor Frankenstein/Felix commanded the stage in absolution and was a thrill to observe from start to finish. Dresch’s portrayal of Victor was utterly brilliant, bringing to life this infamous character with precision. One of Dresch’s noteworthy strengths was found in the ability to convey the confusion and moral dilemma Victor felt about his experiment. Dresch’s expertly driven dialogue allowed one to fully immerse themselves in and ponder about one of the underlying questions from the play: who really is the monster?
Perhaps the performance I anticipated most was that of The Creature by Travis Ascione. While Ascione also portrayed Lord Byron and other characters, his performance as Frankenstein’s monster exceeded my expectations. Fascinating was Ascione’s ability to relay The Creature’s character arc of hope and curiosity to deep despair and vengeance. A powerful moment by Ascione was his emotional display upon the death of Victor Frankenstein, delivering The Creature’s thoughts and petitions with such agony and sadness. Ascione’s performance is one that won’t soon be forgotten.
Regan Sims as Claire Clairmont and other characters amazed me with her range of abilities transitioning from one character to the next. Particularly enjoyable was Sims’s performance as Wedding Officiant. This scene was one of a few moments of humor in the production that was quite memorable. Sean Dale as Dr. John Polidori and other characters, also gave an outstanding performance. Beautiful was Dale as DeLacey, a blind man who is the only person that shows kindness towards The Creature. Dale’s and Ascione’s harmony in this scene was incredibly touching and thought-provoking.
In addition to the outstanding performances, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein also had supreme technical designs that were implemented with exactness. Sound Designer Melanie Chen Cole’s original music for the production was beautiful and elevated the production to new heights. Scenic Designer Jason Simmons’ work was minimal, but effective. I did find the placement of the armoire questionable as it blocked even more of the view for those patrons sitting on the side of the stage, especially when the actors used it to make quick on-stage costume changes. Regrettably, I did not experience the full scope of Lighting Designer Claire Chrzan’s contribution to the production, (particularly the scenes when Victor is creating The Creature), as my observations were limited to what could be seen from the side of the stage. However, my somewhat limited view with regards to lighting as well as some scenic elements did not take away from the overall experience and the technical aspects I did notice were phenomenal.
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a beautiful nod to the original novel and completely engaging. With exceptional direction, acting and technical design, this production encourages one to ponder love and loss, empathy and compassion, arrogance and ignorance and the power that comes with creating life. This production is a must see.
SHOW INFO: Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein plays through October 3, 2026, at the Eileen and Allen Anes Studio Theatre located at 101-199 W University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720. Tickets range from $55 – $80. Run time is 2 hours and 5 minutes with one intermission. For more information visit www.bard.org.
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