ITD Masterclass for Culture Warrington
25th February 2025
PRESS RELEASE
Friday 12 January
Casting announced for imitating the dog and Leeds Playhouse’s co-production of Frankenstein
imitating the dog and Leeds Playhouse have today announced the company for their new adaptation of Mary Shelley’s iconic Gothic tale Frankenstein.
The two-hander will feature Georgia-Mae Myers (Titus Andronicus, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre; Wars of the Roses & Henry VI – Rebellion, Royal Shakespeare Company; and Dismissed, Soho Theatre) and Nedum Okonyia (Possession, Arcola Theatre).
Created by imitating the dog’s Co-Artistic Directors Pete Brooks, Andrew Quick and Simon Wainwright, this multimedia exploration of Mary Shelley’s classic novel is a psychological thriller which dares to ask the question – what is it to be human?
As a couple confront their own fears about impending parenthood, they re-create a version of Frankenstein that erupts into life as everyday objects are transformed into glaciers, a ship at sea, a dissecting room, and a house on fire.
imitating the dog and Leeds Playhouse previously collaborated on the critically acclaimed unique shot-for-shot stage recreation of George A. Romero’s classic 1968 zombie movie Night of The Living Dead™ – Remix and the UK Theatre Award-winning Dracula: The Untold Story.
Set and Costume Designer Hayley Grindle has created a dynamic, transformative space, which houses the digital tricks and video-mapping techniques associated with imitating the dog. Her theatre credits include Macbeth(Leeds Playhouse – returning this March), Oliver Twist(Leeds Playhouse, Ramps on the Moon & UK tour) and As You Like It(Queens Theatre Hornchurch & National Theatre).
The full creative team includes: Video Associate Davi Callanan; Lighting Designer Andrew Crofts; Composer & Sound Designer James Hamilton; Video System Designer Alan Cox; Co-Sound Designer and Technical Lead on Tour Rory Howson; Choreographer Casper Dillen; Company Stage Manager Anja Bryan-Smith; and Casting Director Ellie Collyer-Bristow.
Frankenstein will premiere at Leeds Playhouse from 15-24 February and will then tour to Oxford Playhouse, Watford Palace Theatre, The Lowry, Salford Quays, Cast, Doncaster, Mercury Theatre, Colchester, Liverpool Playhouse, The Dukes Lancaster, and Northern Stage, Newcastle. The production will also tour Switzerland in March.
For tickets and further information about the Frankenstein tour visit imitatingthedog.co.uk
For further information, images, interviews and press review ticket requests for the Leeds run, please contact:
Rachel Marriner, Leeds Playhouse: 07729206332 | rachel.marriner@leedsplayhouse.org.uk
For requests regarding the tour, please contact:
Lauren Randall, imitating the dog: lauren@imitatingthedog.co.uk
NOTES TO EDITORS
Listings information
All dates are on sale now.
imitating the dog and Leeds Playhouse’s co-production of
FRANKENSTEIN
Inspired by Mary Shelley’s novel
Created by Pete Brooks, Andrew Quick, and Simon Wainwright
Age guide 14+
PRESS IN FROM: Saturday 17 February at 2.30pm, Leeds Playhouse
LISTINGS INFO – OPENING VENUE
15-24 Feb at 7.45pm (22 February at 2pm; Mat: 17 & 24 at 2.30pm) – Leeds Playhouse
Box office: 0113 213 7700 / leedsplayhouse.org.uk
TOUR
29 February-2 March at 7.30pm & 8pm (Mat: 1 March at 1pm & 2 March at 2.30pm) – Oxford Playhouse
Box office: 01865 305305 / oxfordplayhouse.com
6-9 March at 7.30pm (Mat: 7 March at 1pm & 9 March at 2.30pm) – Watford Palace Theatre
Box office: 01923 225671 / watfordpalacetheatre.co.uk
12-14 March at 7.30pm (Mat: 13 March at 2pm) – The Lowry, Salford
Box office: 0161 876 2000 / thelowry.com
27-28 March at 7.30pm (Mat: 27 March at 2pm) – Cast, Doncaster
Box office: 01302 303959 / castindoncaster.com
9 -11 April at 7.30pm (Mat: 10 April at 2.30pm) – Mercury Theatre, Colchester
Box office: 01206 573948 / mercurytheatre.co.uk
17-20 April at 7.30pm (Mat: 18 April at 1.30pm & 20 April at 2pm) – Liverpool Playhouse
Box office: 0151 7094776 / everymanplayhouse.com
24-27 April at 7.30pm (Mat: 25 April at 1pm & 27 April at 2pm) – The Dukes, Lancaster
Box office: 01524 598500 / dukeslancaster.org
30 April-2 May at 7.30pm & 6pm (Mat: 1 May at 2pm & 2 May at 1pm) – Northern Stage, Newcastle
Box office: 0191 230 5151 / northernstage.co.uk
Captioned performances will be available throughout the tour.
IMITATING THE DOG
imitating the dog (ITD) have been making ground-breaking work for theatres and other spaces for over 25 years. Their work, which fuses live performance with digital technology, has been seen by hundreds of thousands of people in venues, outdoor festivals, and events across the world.
ITD’s focus is on telling stories and creating beautiful, memorable images for audiences. The company strive to create stories that are entertaining, moving and engage with important ideas.
Recent acclaimed productions have included The Zero Hour, Six Degrees Below the Horizon, Hotel Methuselah, A Farewell to Arms, Heart of Darkness, Night of The Living Dead™ – Remix, Dr Blood’s Old Travelling Show, Dracula: The Untold Story and mostrecently Macbeth. The company created the sited work Arrivals and Departures for the launch of Hull City of Culture 2017. In 2020 the company produced Airlock, a live action graphic novel as part of the BBC and Arts Council England Culture in Quarantine programme. In 2022 imitating the dog presented Cinema Inferno, a groundbreaking new show for Paris haute couture house Maison Margiela, based on an original concept by John Galliano. The company is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation.
LEEDS PLAYHOUSE
Leeds Playhouse has been one of the UK’s leading producing theatres for more than 50 years. It is an award-winning theatre and a cultural hub, a place where people gather to tell and share stories and engage in world class theatre. Its warm welcome was recently recognised at the UK Theatre Awards, where it was named Most Welcoming Theatre 2022. It makes work which is pioneering and relevant, seeking out the best companies and artists to create inspirational theatre in the heart of Yorkshire.
Alongside the work on its stages, the Playhouse works creatively with the people, artists and communities of Leeds through its innovative, sector-leading Playhouse Connect programme. Focussing on two key areas – Learning & Skills and Creative Communities – Playhouse Connect engages with thousands of people in the region each year. As part of this work, its Artistic Development programme, Furnace, engages with theatre-makers, providing a creative space to refine their practice at all stages of their careers; it builds, develops and sustains projects to connect with refugee communities, young people and students, older people and people with learning disabilities; it hands over spaces to communities to use in ways they choose, from breakdancing to roller-skating, craft markets to tea parties, enlivening the building whilst fostering deeper relationships; and works in-residence around the city, connecting with people on their doorsteps.
As a registered charity, Leeds Playhouse relies on the support of valued partners to make great things happen. It is grateful for the continued support of Arts Council England, Leeds City Council, The Liz and Terry Bramall Foundation and the many charitable trusts, business partners and individuals that continue to support the vital work of the theatre.
ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND
Arts Council England is the national development body for arts and culture across England, working to enrich people’s lives. It supports a range of activities across the arts, museums, and libraries – from theatre to visual art, reading to dance, music to literature, and crafts to collections. Great art and culture inspire us, brings us together and teaches us about ourselves and the world around us. In short, it makes life better. Between 2018 and 2022, it will invest £1.45 billion of public money from government and an estimated £860 million from the National Lottery to help create these experiences for as many people as possible across the country: artscouncil.org.uk
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