All creators shoulder the burden of their creation, from Robert Oppenheimer to the choreographer of the Lambada. Bohemian Theatre Ensemble’s “Playing with Fire (after Frankenstein)” explores Mary Shelley’s classic and confronts timeless questions. What do we owe the result of our ingenuity?
After years of pursuit, a dying Dr. Frankenstein (Buck Zachary) tracks his creation to the Arctic, determined to destroy the evil he has created. He finds a lonely, sensitive soul consumed with existential anger and doubt. Together, they look back on their tragic history.
Katy Petersen’s lighting design and Lewis Miller’s sound design effectively complement the piece’s tension and foreboding. Kevin Cox and Adam Kander shine as The Creature’s present and past, investing the “monster” with equal amount of threat and noble vulnerability; both actors make a physically demanding role look easy. Zachary captures a tortured man finally discovering the evil in his own actions. (Lisa Buscani)
