Sunday, March 20, 2011

Frankenstein's Wedding...

I love weddings. Drinks all around. For one night only, Leeds' Kirkstall Abbey played host to a one-of-a-kind live TV event – the marriage of scientist Victor Frankenstein and his bride-to-be, Elizabeth Lavenza. We were cordially invited to the event, billed as a bold and ambitious project which aimed to explore Mary Shelley's gothic masterpiece through live drama and contemporary music.

We weren't sure what to expect but our first visit to the Abbey was unique and enjoyable. The Frankenstein story given a modern makeover with pre-recorded footage complimenting the live action. For the production the audience were instructed to learn a dance routine, the sequence was provided on YouTube but also rehearsed several times before the show started. The first dance was the cue for the audience to participate and it worked. I'm interested in watching the footage which was broadcast on BBC3 as it must have looked quite the spectacle. I wasn't very elegant but that wasn't for the lack of trying. It was great to participate in a variant of the flash mob, I have had opportunities in the past but obstacles have prevented my participation. The dance enhanced the liveness of the production and the organisers must have been impressed with the end result. Should there be another production I'm hoping they consider implementing Michael Jackson's Thriller, that would be impressive...