Twin Beach Players’ Frankenstein
Twin Beach Players works Gothic magic recreating Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein in North Beach Boys and Girls Club’s gymnasium. On opening night, the 14-year-old community company sent a full house back in time to 1816, into Dr. Frankenstein’s madness and Arctic ice.
From the front row, I watched every detail, biting my nails. I’d have none were it not for Tyschka’s hilarious Grandmother, a welcome relief from the sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat dramatics and horror.
Mark Scharf’s original script is set to Marylander Bob Snider’s original music. The language is formal, music dark and morose. Professional make-up artist Skip Smith created the monster. (Read last week’s story on Smith at bayweekly.com/articles/people/article/man-behind-mask.)
Actors lurk behind three dark, netted screens that resemble a Catholic church’s confessional booth and work double-time as the graveyard, a backdrop both effective and believable.
Dr. Frankenstein’s creation — the Creature — rules the show, played with dramatic body language by Tom Wines. Mournful and larger than life, the uncontrollable fiend reinforces Shelley’s theme that man playing God makes trouble.