The Pleasance Theatre in Holloway has hosted much of the London Horror Festival, the largest festival of live horror in the UK, attended every year by thousands of people.
The theatre put on a punk-rock, feminist, comedy that reimagined Frankenstein. The one-woman show’s two-day run finished on 27 October.
After looking into the life of the author of Frankenstein, Mary Shelley, Nic Lamont, who has written comedy for BBC Three, BBC Radio 4 and Amazon Prime, was inspired to write and star in ‘Mary Shelley: Muthamonster’.
Lamont told Islington Now that while researching she “found some incredible and surprising events, and also this feminist through-line to her life”.
She added: “I just felt there was a lot a modern-day audience could connect to.”
The production paid homage to Shelley, portraying her as a punk-feminist icon. Motherhood and child loss are also central to the play’s plot. The themes resonated with Lamont, who recently became a mother herself.
The production debuted just two weeks after Baby Loss Awareness Week, which aims to bring attention to bereaved parents.
Lamont’s first three plays premiered at the festival. “The Pleasance and Islington itself is the perfect place to premiere this show – Mary was born and raised in London – really this is a London tale,” she said.
Mary Shelley was born just a few miles from the Pleasance Theatre and her novel Frankenstein is widely considered one of the seminal texts of gothic literature.
I am a freelance writer and journalism student at City, UoL, writing culture and sport.