Editorial Disclosure: DCist Jason Linkins has a supporting role in this production

Quite a few interpretations of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein have been gracing the D.C. stages lately. Round House Silver Spring has a take, and we were impressed with the lyrical, atmospheric vibe that Synetic Theatre’s production captured in September.

While Rorschach Theatre’s most recent effort may not have the same melancholy moodiness that Synetic achieved through striking set design and choreography, the work still offers us something new. Their production of Neal Bell’s Monster takes an entirely new look at central character of Victor Frankenstein. And when we peer into this man’s soul, we don’t like what we see.

The fascinating new play, told largely through sometimes chronologically-confusing flashbacks, gives an incredibly withdrawn, dispassionate persona to the title character. Think stereotypical serial-killer prototype. The man dissects his childhood pets, much to the dismay of his world-weary mother (Nicola Daval, with a nice, natural take on a small role). His attitude to those closest to him can be viewed as a clinical curiosity, at best. If he has a passion for science, it’s more a fixation than a calling. And when the story takes an interesting turn by setting Frankenstein’s life-tinkering experiments in the family’s cellar, bringing Victor this much closer to his relatives only demonstrates how much his work distances him from those around him.