Frankenstein – An Imitating the Dog and Leeds Payhouse Co-production

“Remember, that I am thy creature; l ought to be thy Adam; but I am rather the fallen angel…”

Mary Shelley, Frankenstein

imitating the dog and Leeds Playhouse reunite once again to co-produce a thrilling and moving new adaptation of Mary Shelley’s iconic Gothic tale, Frankenstein, premiering at the Playhouse from 15 February 2024 ahead of a UK tour. This new multimedia exploration of the classic novel is a psychological thriller which dares to ask the question – what is it to be human?

Created by imitating the dog’s co-artistic directors Pete Brooks, Andrew Quick and Simon Wainwright, this is the latest adaptation in a series of dark tales imitating the dog and Leeds Playhouse have successfully reimagined. Previous hits include the highly acclaimed unique shot-for-shot stage recreation of George A. Romero’s 1968 zombie classic Night of The Living Dead™ – Remix and the award-winningadaptation Dracula: The Untold Story.

A storm gathers outside as a couple pack up a room. Clothes and toys are carefully stored away in boxes and bags. Lightning flashes. Picking up a book, the woman reads aloud. It’s a story about ambition and playing God, and about what happens when we bring new life into the world. It’s also about rejection, horror, and revenge. It’s the story of Frankenstein.

As the couple confront their own fears, they recreate a version of Frankenstein that erupts into life as everyday objects are transformed into glaciers, a ship at sea, a dissecting room, a house on fire…

Andrew Quick, Co-Director and Artistic Director of imitating the dog said:

 “Mary Shelley’s extraordinary novel has shaped storytelling since the 19^th Century and provided source material for films, novels, poems, and art. Having already adapted Heart of Darkness (2018) and Dracula (2020), we feel ready to take on this complex and moving tale, one which explores the consequences of refusing love, of playing at being God, of not taking responsibility. 

It is wonderful to be collaborating with Leeds Playhouse again and we are seeing this adaption as an opportunity to return to our creative roots as a company. It will have all the hallmarks of an ITD show but we are renewing our interest in the physical and the visual that played out in our earlier work.  Our focus is to create something truly magical, that is both moving and disturbing. It will be Frankenstein, but perhaps not as you know it.”

Chief Executive and Artistic Director of Leeds Playhouse James Brining said:

“Mary Shelley’s  Frankenstein is a radical novel that has entered the popular consciousness and continues to push boundaries 200 years after it was first created.

“We are keen to explore classic canonical texts from a contemporary perspective, reshaping and refashioning them for modern audiences. Co-producing with imitating the dog gives us the opportunity to do that – and more. They are a company at the forefront of using fresh perspectives and innovative technology to create dazzling, challenging theatre. When our teams join forces, the results are truly magical.”

The creative team features design by Hayley Grindle (Romeo and Juliet, National Theatre and Sherman Theatre), lighting by Andrew Crofts (Night of The Living Dead™ – Remix, imitating the dog; Trash Cuisine, Belarus Free Theatre and The Young Vic), and original music composed by James Hamilton. Casting will be announced in the coming months.

Imitating the dog have been making ground-breaking work for theatres and other spaces for 25 years. Their work, which fuses live performance with digital technology, has been seen by hundreds of thousands of people in venues, outdoor festivals, and events across the world. Past productions have included Hotel Methuselah, A Farewell to Arms, Heart of Darkness, Night of The Living Dead™ – Remix, Dr Blood’s Old Travelling Show, Dracula: The Untold Story and most recently Macbeth. In 2022 imitating the dog presented Cinema Inferno, a groundbreaking new show for Paris haute couture house Maison Margiela, based on an original concept by John Galliano.

Leeds Playhouse is one of the UK’s leading producing theatres; a cultural hub, a place where people gather to tell and share stories and to engage in world class theatre. It makes work which is pioneering and relevant, seeking out the best companies and artists to create inspirational theatre in the heart of Yorkshire.

Frankenstein will premiere at Leeds Playhouse from 15- 24 February 2024. It will then tour to Oxford Playhouse, Watford Palace Theatre, The Lowry, Salford Quays, Cast Doncaster, Mercury Theatre Colchester, Liverpool Playhouse and The Dukes Lancaster. More venues will be announced soon.

Tickets go on general sale at Leeds Playhouse on 10 Oct. Tickets for The Lowry Salford Quays, The Dukes Lancaster and Mercury Theatre are now on sale with the remaining tour venues going on sale on the coming weeks. For further information on the Frankenstein tour visit www.imitatingthedog.co.uk