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Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience Article contentLongfields-Davidson Heights Secondary School Longfields-Davidson Heights Secondary School masterfully discussed all of these –and more– in their performance of I am Frankenstein The play follows two main stories: that of Mary Shelley author of the book on which the play is based a scientist eager to push the boundaries of life and death Unable to take responsibility for this ‘monster’ and leaves death and destruction in his wake As he tries to run further from his mistake and as Creature grapples with his identity in the world the themes of obligation and creation expand in the vibrant world of Mary Shelley’s story Longfields-Davidson Heights Secondary School’s performance of this play was captivating most especially the character dynamics and relationships Every character was unique in their own way and their interactions with one another and the setting were believable and entertaining was tended to with all due attention and care Zouzoulas’s stage presence exceptionally portrayed Victor’s fervent and rash nature Zouzoulas’s strong voice and expressiveness also lent to an excellent performance with exceptional physicality and vocal expression as Creature explored his new world and tried to grapple with his identity The supporting character Henry was also notable Smith’s proficient use of physical comedy and general charisma rendered Henry a stand-out personality Though Henry was firm in his opposition to Victor’s wild schemes Smith still managed to portray him as humorous and blithe The technical features of this play were one of its strong suits Though there were a few technical difficulties with both at first the fog machine and lighting aided in setting the mood for each scene and the music and sound effects were notably used to make every transition and emotional moment even more poignant headed by Grayson Granville and MacKenzie Fleming as well as creating the blood that trickled down onto Creature’s face The costumes were designed and created beautifully by Maya Rosen and Jackson Pierce most notably the masks and cloaks made for the Blackbird ensemble which lent to their alien and inhuman look and the period-accurate waistcoat Lord Byron sported innovative lighting and projection choices and the innate humanity of every character Longfields-Davidson Heights Secondary School’s performance of I am Frankenstein was evocative and toyed expertly with the concepts of humanity and scientific hubris but Longfields-Davidson Heights Secondary School struck the stage with their electrifying performance of I am Frankenstein Mary Shelley’s iconic 1800s novel was re-told in an alluring yet haunting version of the paranormal story The famous 1818 tale of a genius creating a monstrous man The play follows Victor Frankenstein and his creator as they both explore the true meaning of creation and writers such as Lord Byron and Mary Shelley herself I am Frankenstein brings more than just a monster to life The cast and crew of I am Frankenstein resurrected Shelley’s Frankenstein book and theatricalized it with new captivating visuals and supernatural acting the renowned poet played by Julia Asada Butcher was shocked by the astonishing story that was filled with creepy creatures The mastermind Victor Frankenstein was brought to life by the actor The scientist’s spiral into madness was frighteningly believable with Zouzoulas’s performance A beloved character to the fans of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein was given another layer of depth through Zouzoulas’s physicality on the stage demonstrated when Frankenstein was knocked unconscious in a fight Zouzoulas was committed to each of Victor Frankenstein’s shivers was more than just a science experiment with the grace of Rayne Korop’s portrayal enhanced by Korop’s childlike vocality and consistent character mannerisms but later became confident as Korop spoke with less pauses and more purpose The chorus of Blackbirds loomed over the stage adding an ominous tone to the play with their use of choral speaking and well-timed dialogue The ensemble “cawing” sound effects imitated that of a real murder of crows The sound followed Mary Shelley wherever she went along with each crow’s idiosyncrasies which contributed to the fluidity of the entire group Longfields-Davidson Heights Secondary School’s crew put together stunningly thoughtful sets accompanied by realistic and spine-chilling sound and special effects I am Frankenstein’s set was composed of multiple levels making for a dynamic space that worked as a range of settings such as a boat and graveyard at different times the set had period-accurate pieces like furniture and chemistry sets as well as symbolic pieces like the mobile “platform of death” that could hide dead bodies Cayla MacTavish) created a foggy atmosphere and projected characters’ reflection onto the backdrop Longfields-Davidson Heights Secondary School’s cast and crew made sure not to break a leg instead they stitched together an endearing personality of I am Frankenstein; a new and exciting rendition of the old horror story filled with nostalgic eeriness and a powerful message about the creation of life like God and His son,” words spoken by a tortured being in its attempt to comprehend the human condition and ultimately revealing the doomed desire to manipulate destiny In this play adapted from Mary Shelley’s classic gothic horror Frankenstein Victor Frankenstein and his ungodly creation are united in their desperation to find meaning within a tragic existence Longfields-Davidson Heights Secondary School’s production of I Am Frankenstein follows the young and ambitious Victor Frankenstein in his hellish and futile pursuit to unearth what lies beyond the fabric of the natural world the sorrowful writer Mary Shelley with her troubled past and present Frankenstein defies the very limits of humankind with the desire to create a being in his own image a life crafted unorthodoxically from dead matter Accompanied by a melancholy array of characters Christo Zouzoulas embodied Victor Frankenstein an alchemist tormented by the existential demons of natural philosophy played with a poignant soulfulness by Rayne Korop Korop captured the creature’s tragic yearning for human understanding with anguished gesticulations and assertive line delivery the gloomy and enthralling gothic icon Mary Shelley stood alongside her creations Haunting the corners of the story was an absurd chorus of blackbirds echoing the far reaches of the characters’ psyches and weaving the scenes together allowing the cast full creative freedom of movement The rich hues of light gave the performance a vibrant realism with deep cerulean stormy skies and striking crimson eternal flames torturing the damned Images projected on the back wall added atmospheric depth to the set and emotional complexity to the storyline The costumes were elegant and the creature’s facial scars were realistically grotesque Just as Prometheus sealed his fate by giving fire to humankind Frankenstein’s quest for immortality and omnipotence woefully affirms his inalienable mortality Longfields-Davidson Heights Secondary School’s production of I Am Frankenstein begs the question not of God’s existence The sound of thunder crashed from above as Longfields-Davidson Heights Secondary School brought their electrifying production of I Am Frankenstein to life This terrifying tale of creature and man containing themes of the darkness of love and society is John Haman’s refreshing retelling of Mary Shelley’s literary classic novel Frankenstein I Am Frankenstein is a shocking play that takes place in a late 1700’s gothic Europe The story begins in the home of a saddened Mary Shelley before it quickly shifts to the story of Victor Frankenstein Victor is found near the North Pole on a large mass of ice by Robert Walton who is aboard a ship which is heading northward Frankenstein then informs Walton on his treacherous past containing dangerous encounters with creatures and loved ones Christo Zouzoulas put on a wonderful performance as Victor Frankenstein and captured the essence of the character in a near flawless manner Zouzoulas had excellent synergy and tension with the other characters on stage this was most strongly displayed with Abbey Locking’s Elizabeth Zouzoulas never broke character throughout the entire play and maintained a strong voice with solid projection as well as having great in character physicality that really made the performance stand out even more The set for this play was quite pleasing to look at while still being quite unique Stage left was decorated with a delightful elevated living space that was heavily decorated with antique furniture and books that changed multiple times throughout the play The centre of the stage was decorated with a gorgeous tree that represented the constant change of time in the play Stage right was littered with green grass as well as solid grey tombstones Throughout the set there were a few sneakily placed holes for actors to sneak in and out of The set was quite wonderful and was utilised very well by many different performers Rayne Korop’s performance of Frankenstein’s Creature was definitely one of the standout moments of the entire production Korop did a beyond excellent job at ensuring each and every line could be heard with perfect clarity The physicality and stage presence displayed was absolutely brilliant; whenever Korop was on the stage it could be almost a guarantee that the upcoming scene would be nothing short of amazing The Blackbirds were an emotion evoking ensemble that added plenty to the scenes they were in especially with the scenes containing Angelita Lapenskie’s Mary The Blackbirds added many eerie feelings that really allowed the other actors to shine to their full potential There were quite a few scenes where The Blackbirds mimicked the croaking sounds of a crow they performed these scenes with such skill and volume that it wouldn’t have been difficult for many to have thought these were pre recorded audio clips The cast of Longfields-Davidson Heights Secondary School put on quite the memorable and thrilling performance that evoked many thoughts and emotions as well as delivering a very strong message in the process The crew behind the scenes helped improve the show in many ways and brought the entire production together into one beautiful play that should make everyone involved in its creation incredibly proud Lead Critic Sir Wilfrid Laurier Secondary School I am Frankenstein is a riveting play that breathes life into the classic tale of a creature born from the knowledge of science and the shadows of humanity The lines between love and evil blur as the story grapples with questions of morality I am Frankenstein by Longfields-Davidson Heights Secondary School brought a unique journey into the heart of darkness and discovery Adapted by John Haman from the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley I am Frankenstein is a period piece filled with themes of human nature Victor’s ambition turns into arrogance as he becomes consumed by his desire to conquer death As his professor allows him to stay in his basement laboratory only to fear and be repulsed by the creature As the creature starts to understand the world again he slowly unleashes revenge on Victor and his loved ones In the central and multifaceted role of Victor Zouzoulas’s articulation and restless attitude perfectly depicted the character’s distress in the midst of the chaos and his own mental anguish Zouzoulas’s emotional range in his acting allowed Victor’s pain of his mother’s death to be seen throughout the piece where one could not help but sympathize with Victor’s motives embraced delicateness and innocence in the role as her character’s elegance traced the stage with purpose and poise Mason Smith brought a humorous dimension to the character of Henry Smith’s portrayal of Henry showed brotherly love through his care and protection for Victor Smith brought a certain lightheartedness to the stage The Blackbirds ensemble fully captured the ability of signalling death and danger in their haunting presence the ensemble was synchronized and creative with eerie and fluid-like movements that added to the ominous atmosphere The set was artistically fabricated by Longfields-Davidson Heights Secondary School’s set design team and the stunning tree were devised to fit in specific scenes and timelines of the play The leaves of the tree fell as time passed and the crimson and orange leaves scattered the stage which represented the cold fall season decorations and furniture were very refined and were appropriate for the time era Longfields-Davidson Heights Secondary School delivered a suspenseful production of I am Frankenstein proving the pursuit of knowledge carries responsibility and power it has the potential for tragic consequences This Longfields-Davidson Heights Secondary School production was reviewed by 36 critics representing 5 schools The critic discussions were mentored by teacher Tracy Brown of Almonte and District High School and student reviews were edited and selected for publication by teacher Serena McCauley of All Saints High School The Citizen and 20 high schools are participating in the Cappies D.C.based program that uses high school critics to review high school theatre The program is a unique partnership between the Ottawa Citizen the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and the Ottawa Catholic School Board Two schools from other boards in the region and one private school have also joined The four winners of the lead acting categories will receive a bursary provided by the 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