Set in nineteenth-century Switzerland, this classic tale of horror and suspense details the ill-fated experiments of young Dr. Frankenstein as he attempts to fathom the secrets of life and death. Purchasing cadavers from two unsavory grave robbers, he give life to a creature both hideous and touchingand so physically powerful and mentally twisted that he soon brings death or destruction to all who stand in his way. Adhering more closely to the original novel than did the famous motion picture versions, the play blends moments of brooding terror and sudden shock with questions of morality and the dangers of unrestrained scientific inquiry.
First presented at the Loretto-Hilton Repertory Theatre, in St. Louis, and then lavishly re-mounted for its New York production, this classic thriller is offered here in the easier-to-stage pre-Broadway version. Blending thrills and shuddering horror with moments of touching sentiment and compelling philosophical insights, the play accomplishes the singular feat of being as moving and affecting as it is terrifying. "No question, Gialenella's script caught the legendary excitement of the Frankenstein story." Saturday Review. "FRANKENSTEIN is more than a horror storymuch more." St. Louis Citizen. "the most visually exciting stage presentation of the season." The Hollywood Reporter.