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Layered in safety pins and studs like a punk encrusted beetle, Frank and Ruby duel in a fight to the death over the spirit of our protagonist within the political, social and economic eye of the storm in Cruel Britannia. Set in Margaret Thatcher’s Britain, this trans reimagining of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein puts an all-new twist on the classic story of rebirth – it isn’t Frankenstein’s creation that is reborn, but rather Ruby, shedding the monster of shame and remaking herself anew.

It’s Alive!

Writer and performer Kristen Smyth dominates the stage for an electrifying 80 minutes to the relentless beat of Di Drew’s soundscape, blending electronics and atmosphere. Smyth transforms between a dizzying array of characters and locations as money-motivated hooligan Frank struggles against the monster within – not Ruby, but the violence that is Frank’s only distraction from the truth that is bubbling just below the surface. Smyth’s charisma and clarity of expression is undeniable as is the tenderness she extends to every one of her characters. Every characterisation is a full-body experience – a testament to Smyth’s powerful and expressive voice and nimble physicality, and to the vision shared between the writer/performer and director, Cohan.

Bringing Punk To Frankenstein

The costume doesn’t feature rusty bolts and lightening rods, just the coarse stitches that are a signature of Dr Frankenstein’s monster – but this time they’re looping their way around Jessamine Moffett’s cheeky punk costume design, evoking the jagged seam between Ruby and Frank. The set design – a ramp-come-catwalk in the middle of a sea of evocatively alien black sand and reflective rocks by designer Rachel ‘Stoz’ Stone doesn’t recreate 80’s London, but instead gives Smyth all the room she needs to transform the space into a nightclub, a poky flat and a train station filled with brawling hooligans. The ramp almost acts as a funnel for the story – Smyth doesn’t need an expansive stage to tell her tale, but, given it, she fills the space with her voice, her vulnerability and the power of her storytelling.

Queer Theatre Pulls No Punches

Sitting in an audience that skews significantly more gender-diverse than your mainstream theatre crowd, there is a palpable feeling of free expression for audience and performer – this is a show made by a predominantly trans and non-binary creative team, and it shows. This isn’t a queer story that’s been sanitised and stripped of grit to make it palatable – Smyth and her team don’t pull punches, and it is a joy to sit back and revel in the world of Cruel Britannia.

Cruel Britannia runs from 20 – 30 November in The Show Room of the Arts Centre, Melbourne. For more information click here.