Naomie Harris Also Joins The Cast
Love him or loathe him (and most of the Playlist staff fall squarely towards the former), one thing that can’t be denied is that few filmmakers can use pop music, and specifically dance music, in the way that Danny Boyle can. Almost from the start of his career (few who’ve see it will ever forget the Boyle-helmed rave-themed episode of long-running middlebrow UK detective show “Inspector Morse“), the director’s consistently delivered soundtracks you can bust a move to, from the use of Leftfield and New Order in “Trainspotting” to the excellent Free Blood track “Never Hear Surf Music Again” that so memorably opens “127 Hours.”
One band that Boyle keeps returning to are British dance band, Underworld, whose song “Born Slippy” plays an iconic part of “Trainspotting,” and who collaborated with composer John Murphy on the score to “Sunshine” — even if you haven’t seen the latter, it’ll be familiar from being appropriated in dozens of trailers. Now, word’s arrived that the band are reteaming with Boyle on his latest project.
Boyle’s now in rehearsals for his long-awaited return to the stage, for a new adaptation of Mary Shelley‘s “Frankenstein” at the National Theatre in London, and the theatre’s website, via OM Records, has revealed that Underworld will provide the music and ‘soundscore’ for the production. It’s a pretty exciting prospect, and should lay any fears to rest that Boyle’s production will be your parent’s “Frankenstein,” even if it’s retaining its period setting.
Full casting has also been announced for the project. In addition to the previously announced Benedict Cumberbatch (“Atonement,” “Sherlock“) and Jonny Lee Miller (“Trainspotting,” “Dexter“), who will, excitingly, alternate the roles of Dr. Frankenstein and his creation, there’ll be supporting work from the hugely underrated Naomie Harris (“Miami Vice“), as Elizabeth Lavenza, Karl Johnson (“Hot Fuzz“) as De Lacey, and theatre veteran Lizzie Winkler as Agatha. The cast-list also reveals that there’ll be an appearance from a ‘Female Creature,’ suggesting that Nick Dear‘s adaptation will include aspects of “Bride of Frankenstein.”
The production runs at the Olivier Theatre at the National in London from February 5th to April 17th, and will also be broadcast live on March 17th in cinemas internationally, as part of the excellent NT Live scheme. For those able to see it in person, tickets are now on sale. But we haven’t got ours yet, so don’t book it up too quickly…