Should mankind be allowed to create life artificially? Why, in the first place, do we need to create life?

These themes are explored in a new play directed by Korean playwright Cho Kwang-hwa at Seoul Arts Center ― “Frankenstein.”

Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel has been retold and adapted in various forms, including films, stage musicals, theater plays and even children’s books.

The classic Gothic tale of a creature that is innocent at heart, but grotesque in form has moved many around the world.

In Korea, a musical adaptation of the book, staged until May, won both critical and popular acclaim.

The play version, which is being staged in Korea for the first time, is adapted from the 2011 British National Theatre production of “Frankenstein,” written by British playwright Nick Dear, produced by Academy Award-winning director Danny Boyle (“Slumdog Millionaire”) and starring actor Benedict Cumberbatch (“Sherlock Holmes”) as scientist Victor Frankenstein.

Cho’s interpretation faithfully sticks to the plot and settings of Dear’s production, in that Victor creates a human-like creature but, terrified by his creation, he abandons him. 

The emphasis is put on the fears of those left behind and what they are capable of when they seek revenge.

“Today, people create things spontaneously and instantly,” said the 49-year-old playwright during the practice session of the play, which opened to the public in September.

“They are also used to throwing things away easily, just like disposables. We have to remember that humans are not the only ones who can dominate the universe. They can also be conquered and left behind by their creations.”

The play follows the life of the creature, from its perspective. The first half covers the moment of its birth inside Victor’s laboratory, Victor’s almost immediate abandonment of it, and the creature’s days with a kind-hearted blind man, De Lacy, who looks after it and teaches it to read and write.

It is with De Lacy that the creature learns the logic of the world, reading Milton’s “Paradise Lost.” The 17th-century poem is frequently quoted in the play, with the creature calling himself the fallen angel Lucifer, who becomes Satan in the Bible.

“I am your creature and I should be Adam, but rather, I am the fallen angel, Satan,” the creature tells Victor.

As the creature expresses its loneliness, Victor promises to create a female partner for it, but he doesn’t keep his word.

The second half focuses on the outraged creature, who takes revenge on Victor for abandoning it and breaking his promise.

Straying from Dear’s version, Cho focuses more on the pain of being left alone.

“Why did you create me and why did you abandon me?” the creature asks continuously.

The staging and costumes make frequent use of plastic packaging, reminding audiences of the disposables that can be easily thrown away but take a long time to decompose.

Actor Park Hae-soo, who plays the creature, puts on an inspirational performance depicting the creature’s soft spot despite his monstrous appearance to illustrate his continuous internal battle between love and revenge, and good and evil.

“It lagged in the first part, but the play depicts the mise-en-scene style of Cho pretty well,” commented one frequent theatergoer after the show. “I liked his style of bringing a thought-provoking and unusual ending.”

“Frankenstein” runs through Nov. 9 at CJ Towol Theater at Seoul Arts Center. Tickets run from 30,000 won to 60,000 won. For details, call (02) 585-1300 or visit www.sac.or.kr.

By Ahn Sung-mi (sahn@heraldcorp.com)