Hip Pocket Theatre in Fort Worth has indefinitely shelved an adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, citing “inappropriate” timing.
In light of reactions to “recent high profile events,” the company wrote in a Tuesday statement posted on social media, its board of directors and artistic management felt the play could “lead to unintended further trauma.”
The vague wording fueled speculation in the comments section among patrons who wondered what events the company was referencing.
Hip Pocket’s managing director, Gianina Lambert, and co-artistic directors, Lorca and Lake Simons, could not be reached after several attempts to contact them by phone and email for further context on the statement.
Two cast members who spoke to The Dallas Morning News said they were told the postponement was prompted by safety concerns. Directed by Christina Cranshaw, the spin on Frankenstein was planned to run Oct. 10 through Nov. 2.
The show was billed as for mature audiences, 18 and above, in a description on the company’s website. “Are we the true monsters, or do our creations reflect our deepest transgressions?” the description read. “Rip apart what you thought you knew about love and face the monster you’ve created.”
The cast was selected in March and rehearsals began last week, according to actor Claire Fountain. At call time on Tuesday night, Fountain said, the cast was met by Hip Pocket’s board of directors and founder Johnny Simons.
Simons, who could not be immediately reached, reiterated the company’s commitment to experimental theater, according to Fountain.
Then Simons delivered the news: the show would be postponed because of safety concerns, Fountain said. The actors were paid a stipend that covered the scheduled run.
Kim Winnubst, a fellow cast member who arrived halfway into the meeting, contacted Lambert afterward to get caught up to speed. In their phone call, Winnubst said, Lambert relayed the company’s fear of possible violence against the cast and patrons. Hip Pocket stages shows on the outskirts of Fort Worth in a rustic amphitheater.
“I’m sympathetic to Hip Pocket for making this difficult decision,” Winnubst said. “But I’m sad that we’ve reached this point where presenting thought-provoking ideas is actually a cause for concern for possible violence.”
In Shelley’s 1818 novel, Frankenstein, a scientist brings to life an unnamed creature who becomes murderous after being disdained by humans.
The story can be divisive, Fountain said, with its themes of religion and science. Still, Fountain did not find the production’s script, which was still being written, “to be any more offensive than the source material.”
When reached by email Wednesday, Cranshaw, the director, declined to share a copy of the script, calling it a “work in progress.” She was not available for an interview about the play’s status, but wrote in her email that “the fight for art is imperative now more than ever.”
Frankenstein was to be the closer for Hip Pocket’s 49th season. In its Tuesday social media post, the company apologized to theatergoers whose plans had been disrupted, instructing ticket holders in the comments section to contact the box office. “We know this is disappointing news,” the post said.