About the show
A young scientist dreams of reanimating the dead in this electric new adaptation of Mary Shelley’s classic Frankenstein. As the world grapples with the proliferation of artificially intelligent life, this gothic fable hits a nerve. This production is a pitch-black fever dream, visually striking and horrific.
Adapted and directed by NIDA’s Head of Directing Benjamin Schostakowski, who recently directed two striking works for NIDA, Metamorphosis and The Seagull.
Content Notice: Loud noises (inc gunshot), smoke and haze effects, spark effects, and flashing lights. Depictions of violence and mature themes.
Benjamin Schostakowski is an award-winning director who graduated from the NIDA directing course (2013).Frankenstein marks the sixth production he has directed for NIDA mainstage production seasons.
In his career, Benjamin has worked with Channel 7, Melbourne Theatre Company, Queensland Theatre Company, Opera Australia, Opera Queensland, La Boite Theatre Company, NIDA, Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) and Queensland University of Technology (QUT). He worked as Artistic Director of the Festival of Australian Student Theatre from 2009-2012 and was appointed Associate Artist of Queensland Theatre Company in 2011.
In 2017, Benjamin was named a Glorias Fellow and travelled to New York to learn from Tony Award-winning director Des McAnuff (Jersey Boys). Benjamin attended rehearsals for the premiere of the musical Lazarus by David Bowie and Enda Walsh, directed by Ivo van Hove (New York Theatre Workshop).
Benjamin was a project director and investigator for the ARC Research Project: ‘Reformulating set design aesthetics via a dialogical model of interactivity’ hosted through the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and in collaboration with Sydney Theatre Company since 2019 as well as a member of the Arts, Culture and Creativity Advisory Committee for Waverly which advise cultural activities of the area including Bondi Pavillion and Bondi Festival.
His qualifications include Doctor of Philosophy, QUT; Graduate Diploma of Dramatic Arts (Directing) NIDA; and Bachelor of Creative Industries (Hons) QUT.
He is Head of Directing, Course Leader at NIDA.
Performance Dates
Thursday 6 June, 7:30pm
Friday 7 June, 7:30pm
Saturday 8 June, 1:00pm and 7:30pm
Tuesday 11 June, 1:00pm and 7:30pm
Wednesday 12 June, 7:30pm
Friday 14 June, 7:30pm
Saturday 15 June, 10:30am (Open Day performance) and 7:30pm
Run time: 1h30min, no interval
Cast
Man, Henry Clerval
Kris Dixon
The Creature
Faisal Hamza
Victor Frankenstein
Jack Bridges
Elizabeth Lavenza
Ella Sexton
Justine Moritz, Agatha Delacy
Bon Bon Mpofu
Mrs Delacy, William Frankenstein
Celeste Cortes-Davis
Understudy /Victor Frankenstein***
Oliver Edis
Understudies***
MJ Owusu-Ansah
Ruva Shoko
Creative/Production Team
Set/Props Designer
Andrea Knezevic
Costume Designer
Angelina Daniel
Lighting Designer
Martin Kinnane*
Sound Designer
Claire Edmonds-Wilson
Voice Coach
Patrick Klavins*
Intimacy Coordinator
Shondelle Pratt*
Movement Coach
Troy Honeysett*
Assistant Directors
Clement Rukundo
Lou Quill
Production Stage Manager
Jemima Owen
Construction Manager
Nicholas Day**
Costume Supervisors
Jaspa Frankish
Danielle Schache
Props Supervisor
Grace McCann
Deputy Stage Manager
Jasmine Power
Head Electrician
Matthew Phillips
Props Maker
Caleb Jackson
Samantha Yue Ting Lim
Set Assistant Designer
Shay Dowley
Costume Assistant Designer
Leah Hall
Assistant Stage Managers
Bella Muslado
Otto Zagala
Make-up
Saturn Amos
Isabella Chesterman
Abbey Conroy
Lara Goyen
Theodore Herbert
Olivia Lovelock
Lily New
Miranda Reid
Alya Ting
Set Construction Assistants
Emile Stuart
Jamie Sellar
Costume Assistants
Sean Farnsworth
Hayley Page
Costume Makers
Jaspa Frankish
Sam Hernandez
Kit Moore
Giulia Zanardo
Sean Farnworth
Hayley Page
Properties Assistant
Nat Lawson
Floor Electrician
Alegra Penrose
Technical Assistant
Eloise Tanti
Environmental Co-ordinator
Jasmine Power
*Guest, ** Staff
***Performed by the 10914NAT Diploma of Stage and Screen Performance students.
