"Frankenstein" by Encore Performing Arts.

Duchess Theatre, Long Eaton.

"Frankenstein" is a stage adaptation by Nick Dear of Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. It is the story from Frankenstein, the monster's point of view as opposed to Dr Frankenstein's recall. The same version as presented by The National Theatre with Jonny Lee Miller and Benedict Cumberbatch. I have been advised that it is a "creature" and not a "monster", but as the cast term the creature as a monster, I'll go with that.

Created by Victor Frankenstein, the monster is rejected by his creator, but the monster is actually a saviour to a young prostitute, Gretal, when she is attacked. Gretal is terrified of him which saddens and confuses the monster. It seems that the monster's only friend is a blind man, DeLacey, who Frankenstein helps, along with his family, although they are unaware of the help being from the Monster. Over the course of a year, DeLacey teaches him to speak, read and write. The Monster reads Victor's journal and learns about his creator. De Lacey also teaches the Monster about love, and the Creature dreams of having a female partner.

One day, Felix and Agatha, DeLacey's family, come home and find the Monster; much as he had feared, they are repulsed by him and drive him out. Enraged, the Creature sets fire to the cottage, killing the entire family. He swears revenge on Victor for bringing him into a world that hates him.

While being a brilliant work of science fiction, it's also a story of love and the quest for love and to be loved. A topic so alive today for people who, on the outside, look different to what we deem to be "the norm".

Kheenan Jones plays The Monster, who we first see being created and taking on the characteristics of a new born; unable to stand straight away, rolling on to their back and being unable to speak. Soon grunts and vocal noises make way for words as the Monster is taught how to form words and read, and becomes an incredibly intelligent beast. Kheenan brings that physicality to the monster also showing the growth of intelligence and the emotional side of Frankenstein's creation. He makes you feel sorry for the way people, who fear and do not understand the Monster treat him.

For me, this could possibly be Kheenan at his best as it has pushed him outside the roles that he normally plays, and that can be such a good thing for an actor, and in this case has raised the bar on his personal successes within acting. His accent for the Monster is constant throughout and there is so much pain and passion injected into this role, you just want to give the Monster a big hug. A wonderful performance from an actor that I have raved about for many years now and goes from strength to strength.

Jack Readyhoof plays Dr Frankenstein and Jack I really feel is perfectly cast because when he wants to look sinister, it's like an invisible veil comes over his face and he is instantly sinister. Jack looks the part, and I am sure that helps get him into character, which he does so well in this role. By the end of the play, you really question as to who is the real monster of the two really is, Frankenstein or his creation, and as with Kheenan, I did not see these two actors on stage, I saw the characters they played, making me look past the two fine actors I know and creating an investing from me in the roles in the story.

Megan Hill is playing the female creature, which has been created to order for the pleasure of the Monster, and I just hope that Megan does not forget to take her stage make up off before she goes home, especially on the wet, windy and misty night it turned out to be when I left the theatre. Megan, as the female creature is quite disturbing to look at, whereas Megan without the stage make up is nowhere near as frightening!

Harvey Latter, fresh from his role as Buck Barrow in "Bonnie & Clyde" plays several parts, Gustav - a beggar, Felix De Lacey's son Felix and a Constable. After a practically non-stop year on stage, he was probably relieved to take on a few lesser parts, but always good to see Harvey grace the stage.

Danielle Hall plays Elizabeth Lavenza, fiancée to Victor, and it's lovely to see Danielle back on stage in this emotional role, which I know is one that she is absolutely loving performing.

Mariko Jones moves away from the usual musicals that I have seen her in and takes on a serious part in a serious play, Clarice, Elizabeth's maid. What I would have liked to have seen Mariko do is to project her voice just a bit more, because when she did, you could hear every word she said. This could be because of her parts in musicals are singing, mainly, and having to bring forth a non-singing character role for the first time is something very different, but she showed no nerves for this debut part in a play, and why should she, Mariko knows exactly what she is doing on a stage, and that is entertaining us.

Gary Lever, who actually reminds me of the character Stephen, Audrey's son in Coronation Street facially, gets to play Victor's father, and shows us many emotions as he follows what his son is doing, as well as the loss of his younger son, William, at the hands of Frankenstein's creation.

William Frankenstein is played by Jake Service, who is not only very believable in the role as a living person, also plays a very convincing dead body; he did not move an inch, no eye twitching or anything. Playing "dead" is not as easy as it sounds as you have to really let yourself relax into the role to give that particular look of being lifeless. I excelled at school in playing "dead" roles in drama and if ever a corpse was needed, I was always given that part at school. Nobody played "dead" like me.

Robert McAuley gets two parts in "Frankenstein", Klaus - a beggar and Rab who is Ewan's nephew. Rab is a Scot who, along with Ewan help Victor in his quest for corpses to create the female creature. Playing Ewan, as well as De Lacey is Terry Stevenson.

Lucy Gazzard played the part of Gretal as well as Agatha, de Lacey's Daughter In Law.

The make up for this show is so, so good. Encore have employed the talents of Amy Biddulph who is a professional make up and special effects artist. The pictures show how realistic the make up for all the actors is and gives an immense sense of realism, as well as professionalism to the production.

The set is designed by Terry and Susan Stevenson, and from the very first scene where we see the "birth" of the Creature/Monster inside a "cell" trying to break out, to the Mont Blanc metal construction and the Frankenstein home and the lowly De Lacey habitat, there is an air of simplicity about what you see.

The sound and lighting in this play really create that feeling of unease and terror. I know that Adam Guest has spent many hours sourcing music for this show as well as including original music, thanks to Susan Stevenson, and together the music, plus the sound effects really do put you on edge; and the music continues all the way through the interval which means you can't escape that uneasy feeling.

Lighting Design is by David Price and the Sound Design is by Adam Guest and operated by Matt McAuley, and I must commend Matt because every sound cue was adhered to, especially the effect applied to the scene with Elizabeth and the Creature/Monster. I won't give that one away if you don't know the story line.

Directed by Adam Guest and Co Directed by Andrew Bould. What I loved, and thought was a very brave but effective move, was that in the first five minutes or so of the play, there were no speaking bits with everything being imagined by the music and Kheenan's evocative acting skills. From the opening to the close of the story not a foot was put wrong and the timings were impeccable, showing me that a great deal of hard work has been poured into this production.

How I wish though that there were more people in the audience to appreciate this gothic masterpiece on stage because plays like this, and of this standard do not come around every week and you should take advantage of the local talent we have on our doorsteps.

"Frankenstein" is at the Duchess Theatre in Long Eaton until Saturday 24 September.

Photos courtesy of Chris Clarke.