Tuesday 12 May 2020

Online Theatre: 'Frankenstein', 'Cyprus Avenue' and '21 Chump Street'

Hey readers!
Following on from my previous three posts, I have continued to view the various theatrical productions which have kindly been placed online by producers for free. Productions such as these started streaming a number of weeks ago, and it has really brought a number of theatregoers, including myself, a lot of joy. Without further ado, here are the shows that I have seen since my last post:

Frankenstein


"Childlike in his innocence but grotesque in form, Frankenstein’s bewildered creature is cast out into a hostile universe by his horror-struck maker. Meeting with cruelty wherever he goes, the increasingly desperate and vengeful Creature determines to track down his creator and strike a terrifying deal."

I studied Mary Shelley's Frankenstein a number of years ago in quite extensive detail, and I am consequently rather familiar with the source material on which this play is based. This is a really interesting adaptation, and the focus on the Creature, as opposed to Frankenstein, worked very well from a narrative stand-point. I felt that the Creature was really developed from what we see in the book, and it was refreshing to see a new take on the character. The particular version of the play that I watched had Benedict Cumberbatch portraying Creature, and he was well and truly extraordinary. He gives a masterclass in physicality, and the way he used his body to convey the character was astonishing. He made the Creature very believable indeed, making it very easy to empathise with him. Jonny Lee Miller was also outstanding as Victor Frankenstein, proving both an intense and impassioned performance. Creatively, this production of Frankenstein is stunning. The most striking element is arguably the costume, make-up and wig of the Creature; all of these were very effective, and really helped to aid Benedict Cumberbatch's spectacular transformation. 

Frankenstein can no longer be watched on YouTube for free. 

Cyprus Avenue


"Eric Miller is a Belfast Loyalist. He believes his five-week old granddaughter is Gerry Adams. His family keep telling him to stop living in the past and fighting old battles that nobody cares about anymore but his cultural heritage is under siege. He must act. The story of one man struggling with the past and terrified of the future."

Cyprus Avenue proved to be a rather thought-provoking play, and included a number of very interesting themes. The play acts as a cautionary tale, and demonstrates the many ways in which prejudice can consume an individual. Additionally, the exploration into themes relating to The Troubles was also rather compelling. In the leading role of Eric Miller starred Stephen Rea, who gave a performance that was truly incredible. He was very convincing in the part, and the character's decent into madness was performed very skilfully indeed. 

Cyprus Avenue can be watched on YouTube for free here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptCyZYzUx4M.

21 Chump Street


"21 Chump Street is a cautionary tale of a high school honors student who falls for a cute transfer girl. He goes to great lengths to oblige her request for marijuana in the hopes of winning her affection - only to find out his crush is actually an undercover cop planted in the school to find drug dealers."

21 Chump Street is inspired by true events, which only makes this heartbreaking tale even more tragic. The main character, Justin, is a very sympathetic figure, and one can only feel great sorrow when reflecting upon his story. It really opened my eyes to the war on drugs that takes place within the United States, and I would be very interested to learn more about this real-life case. The musical score of 21 Chump Street was written by Lin Manuel-Miranda, who is known across the globe for having written 'In the Heights' and 'Hamilton'. The score was excellent, delivering a handful of memorable and catchy tunes. Anthony Ramos, in the leading role of Justin Laboy, was remarkable. His characterisation of the role made it really easy to relate with the character, and in turn made him very likeable. In addition to this, he was a very gifted singer, and proved be a skilled dancer as well. 

21 Chump Street can be watched on YouTube for free here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELBGa6-uOhc.

Thanks for reading!

-The Basic Theatre Reviewer

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