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Fathom Events has a partnership with the National Theatre in London.  In 2011 Johnny Lee Miller and Benedict Cumberbatch did a play version of Frankenstein in whcih they alternated each night who played Victor and who played the creature.  I saw Cumberbatch as the Creature this week, and Miller as Creature is next Monday, October 29, at regular theatres all over the country.  Miller as the Creature is supposed to be better, and I am really looking forward to seeing Miller's take.  There's a brief behind the scenes video they show before the play, and Miller said that his interpretation of the Creature was influenced by his 2 year old daughter.  The tickets are only $15, and it was a really interesting experience.  

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On 10/23/2018 at 6:43 PM, Ailianna said:

Miller as the Creature is supposed to be better, and I am really looking forward to seeing Miller's take.

I agree, Jonny was better as the Creature - more visceral and at the same time child-like. Although to be fair, I liked him better as Frankenstein also. I'm not a huge Benedict Cumberbatch fan and find him overrated. I feel the same way about Eddie Redmayne.

Edited by Kathira
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I saw Johnny last night, and I agree with you.  Johnny brought a sweetness and a sense of joy to the early part of the story, and made me connect emotionally with the Creature.  When he learned to walk, or when he was standing in the rain and learning about the world, seeing the birds fly--all of it seemed infused with a child's wonder at the amazing world in which he found himself.  When he was attacked by the first humans, it seemed as if he had a child's confusion about what he was doing wrong and why they were hurting him.  When he killed William, he genuinely seemed to not want to have to hurt the boy, and he was clearly actually regretting killing Elizabeth.  And so on.  Cumberbatch seemed cold and angry from the beginning, and I never emotionally connected with him as the Creature.  Which was also the reason I thought he worked better as Frankenstein--I thought his cold arrogant manner was perfect for the man who created life "because he could" and abandoned it because it wasn't beautiful.  I don't really watch Sherlock but I almost think it's the same thing between their two interpretations of the same (other) classic Victorian character--Cumberbatch is very intellectual and superior, while Miller is very intelligent but also intuitive and has a high ability for emotional intelligence as well (even if he didn't always use that skill).

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I just watched Widows with Viola Davis and Michelle Rodriguez and was happily surprised to see Jon Michael Hill as charismatic, influential and somewhat slimy preacher. He only had a couple of scenes, but he was definitely a highlight.

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(edited)

The 2011 National Theatre presentation of Frankenstein that is mentioned up thread is available for free on YouTube at the moment.  They have both the version with Johnny Lee Miller as the Creature/Benedict Cumberbatch as Frankenstein and the version with Benedict Cumberbatch as the Creature/Johnny Lee Miller as Frankenstein.

ETA: It's part of a fundraiser for the National Theatre.

Edited by MisterGlass
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Both versions are well worth the watch.  Jonny and Benedict take very different takes on both characters, but especially the monster.  It's really an entirely different show, depending on that interpretation, even though everything else is the same.  The blocking, the other actors (other than a couple child actors), remains identical, but the show as a whole is different.  I think it's a tribute to the acting abilities of both men.

I prefered Jonny's monster, but both are good.

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Our very own Marcus Bell (Jon Michael Hill) is going to be in a virtual theatre production of a two-member-cast, 20-minute show called "What is Left, Burns," via Steppenwolf Theatre, starting sometime in November? Looks like you may not be able to buy a ticket to just that show -- you may have to buy a virtual membership in order to see it, but that also means you will get to see all the other shows Steppenwolf puts on virtually from now through next year August.

Here's a link for anyone interested in seeing what else they'll be doing.

And here's the description of Jon's show:

Quote

WHAT IS LEFT, BURNS

By James Ijames
Directed by Whitney White
Featuring ensemble members K. Todd Freeman and Jon Michael Hill
Streaming November 2020
Run time: 20 minutes

Two poets separated by age and distance engage in a video call rendezvous after 15 years. Keith, a distinguished poet and professor of literature is moving towards retirement after a recent divorce from his wife. Ronnie, his younger former lover and mentee, has a New York Times bestselling book and a burgeoning career ahead of him. The two men wade through the connection they once had as they struggle with the desires that still bind them.

Sounds like quite a departure from Marcus Bell! I'm intrigued.  😊

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