Event Features Screening of National Theatre of London’s Film Starring Benedict Cumberbatch
Spend Halloween eve celebrating the 200th birthday of Frankenstein as the Wilkes University English Department commemorates the anniversary of the publication of Mary Shelley’s novel. A talk about the legendary novel and a film screening of the National Theatre of London Live’s Frankenstein will be held on Oct. 30. The doors open at 5p.m. with the event starting at 5:30 p.m. in the Ballroom of the Henry Student Center, 84 W. South St., Wilkes-Barre. The event is free and open to the public.
The event starts with presentations by associate professors of English, Helen Davis and Chad Stanley. They will share a brief history of Frankenstein’s publication, the cultural legacy of the novel and the history of the specific production being screened. Following a viewing of the filmed production, the evening will conclude with a round table discussion.
Childlike in his innocence but grotesque in form, Frankenstein’s bewildered creature is cast out into a hostile universe by his horror-struck maker. Met with cruelty wherever he goes, the increasingly desperate and vengeful creature determines to track down his creator and strike a deal. Scientific responsibility, parental neglect, cognitive development and the nature of good and evil, are embedded within this thrilling and disturbing classic tale.
The National Theatre of London’s production of Frankenstein is directed by Academy Award-winner Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, Slumdog Millionaire). It features Benedict Cumberbatch (Dr. Strange, Hamlet, BBC’s Sherlock) and Jonny Lee Miller (Elementary, Trainspotting) alternating between the roles of Victor Frankenstein and his creation.
