by AMY BARRATT

Talk about your method acting. As research for the role of Victor Frankenstein in Monster, Brad Carmichael went to his local butcher, purchased a pig’s head, took it home and dissected it. Did I mention Carmichael is a vegetarian?

“Because we don’t have a background in science,” says director Frances Balenzano, “[Brad and I] felt it was important to study anatomy, to find out what was happening in medicine at the time, because when Victor goes down into the cellar, he has body parts in his hands, and the character is able to detach himself emotionally from it.”

Monster is playwright Neal Bell’s modern take on Mary Shelley’s classic horror tale about a young doctor who splices together bits of corpses and “galvanizes” them to life as the Creature (which has often been known by its creator’s name, Frankenstein). The inaugural production of Fallen Angel Productions, Monster will lumber menacingly into the Balustrade of the Monument National just in time for Halloween, and Balenzano is thrilled about the timing.

“I love Halloween, it’s such a great holiday, but once you’ve done the Rocky Horror thing, there’s not that much for adults to do. We’re hoping people will make the show part of their celebrations. We’re encouraging people to come in costume, especially on the 31st.”

The core members of Fallen Angel are Balenzano, a Concordia Theatre graduate, and George Tucci, whose background is mainly in film. Indeed, their production company has two arms: one for theatre, one for film. The pair is working on a film script, also called Fallen Angel, which is still in the early stages—production is not expected to begin before 2008. On the other hand, they plan to mount at least two plays in 2007. Meanwhile, Tucci is in charge of special effects and prosthetic make-up for Monster.

The actor playing the Creature, André Simoneau, is practically a household word, at least among 12-year-old practical jokers. As the host of YTV’s Prank Patrol, he’s used to working in disguise.

Not all the frightening effects in Monster will be visual. The show has an original sound design by Kevin Tighe, who proved his ability to scare the pants off people with his one-man stage version of Poe’s The Raven (at the 2005 New Classical Theatre Festival).

While Fallen Angel is definitely aiming to give you goosebumps, Balenzano hopes the play’s effect will go a little deeper. “For me, watching rehearsals, it’s not so much the scary parts, it’s the cruelty that’s disturbing.”

“This is not a play that gives easy answers,” says the director, “and that’s important to us as a company. We don’t want to hammer one meaning into an audience’s head. What would make me happy is for people to leave the theatre talking about what they’ve seen.”

Here’s a talking point to get you started: Who is the “monster” of the title? (Hint: it may not be the obvious choice).

MECCA correction

Two MECCA nominees were inadvertently left off the list in last week’s column. The Best Lighting category should have included Lisa Vording, for Spring Awakening (Persephone Productions), and Paul Chambers, for In the Shade (Gravy Bath).

Monster, Oct 26–29 and Oct. 31– Nov. 5, 8:30 p.m. and Saturday matinees at 2 p.m., at La Balustrade du Monument National
(1182 St-Laurent), 871-2224

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