THEATER REVIEW : CITY COLLEGE ‘MONSTRUM’ FALLS SHORT

“Monstrum,” an expressionistic jazz opera based on the Gothic romance “Frankenstein,” opens to the plaintive sound of a wailing blues lament by saxophonist Steve Feierabend.

The haunting saxophone and DeLoss McGraw’s doleful scenic designs set a tone of loss, sorrow and grief.

Indeed, this adaptation by Bart Thurber of Mary Shelley’s 19th-Century novel is a story of almost Christ-like suffering, the passion of a man-made being rejected and ultimately sentenced to death by its maker.

A collaboration among Thuer, McGraw and composer Nancy Rees, “Monstrum” benefits from three strong interpretations--poetic, visual and musical--of a young scientist’s quest to create life.

McGraw’s beautifully painted cutouts, including angel-like forms that are flown in to hover at times above the action, lend a grace and charm that adds a counterpoint to the grim proceedings.

Similarly, Rees’ music, a pastiche of blues, gospel and even a mock-Puccini aria, played by a talented jazz combo and sung well, offers welcome relief from the oppressive action of the play.

However, the world premiere production of “Monstrum,” which runs Thursday through Sunday at the San Diego City College Theater, suffers from a lack of theatricality inherent in Thurber’s script.

Thurber conceived “Monstrum” as a dramatic poem in two acts, in part as a critique of Western science. He has made several changes, including a different ending that cannot be revealed here without undercutting the plot.

The conflict and tension in the poem tend to evaporate on stage, at least in the first act, as Frankenstein brings his creation to life, and it begins a series of killings motivated by loneliness.

While it reads well on the page, the poem leaves an audience with a passel of singularly uninteresting characters. An audience needs to see characters and relationships that are more fully developed.

For instance, we do not see or even hear that Elizabeth loves her handsome scientist, Frankenstein, until their wedding night.

If Thurber gave us more data on these people, we might find them interesting regardless of whether we like them. As it now stands, we find it hard to understand or care for Frankenstein, his murdered little brother, the maid accused of the brother’s murder, or Elizabeth.

The monster alone is the most interesting figure, dealing death and sadness in its quest for a companion. The chief question Thurber and his cohorts raise--What is it that makes man human?--reminds us that Frankenstein’s patchwork creature is an ancestor of the current hit movie, “Robocop.” It isn’t flesh and bone that forms and informs our humanity.

While the conflicts and pace pick up in the second act, the script requires too much work from the audience to fill in its lapses in plot--how exactly does that change at the end occur?--and thin characterization.

The cast of “Monstrum” strives mightily in their roles, but the actors have been saddled with an impossible assignment. The production, although aided by the generally strong cast and design team, has some quirks of its own. One wonders why the actors are not required to project in the small theater. Instead they are heavily but unevenly miked and much of the dialogue is lost.

All the costumes are spattered with paint, adding another level of uniformity to the script’s existing lack of characterization. One wonders if this was a directorial choice or was director Will Roberson just brought into the project too late?

“MONSTRUM,” by Bart Thurber, composed by Nancy Rees, with scenic design by DeLoss McGraw, lighting by Wendy Heffner, costumes by Clare Henkel and directed by Will Roberson at the San Diego City College Theater at 8 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. With Richard Redlin, Keith Devaney, Chris Badami, William Kerr, Susan Mosher, Debra Pearson, Christine Sevec, Daniel Wingard, Christopher Redo, Teri Deaver, J. Speed Farris.