A terrifying re-imagining of the night Mary Shelley became the mother of horror.

“... I had a dream, which was not all a dream.
The bright sun was extinguished, and the stars
Did wander darkling in the eternal space,
Rayless, and pathless, and the icy earth
Swung blind and blackening in the moonless air.
The waves were dead and the clouds perished.
The world was void.
And men forgot their passions...
And all earth was but one thought – and that was death…”
– Darkness by Lord Byron

1816 – The Villa Diodati, Geneva, Switzerland.

Incessant darkness – nothing else. Then comes the thunder: heavy and foreboding. Then the lightning: bright, white and dangerous.

In its glow, 18-year-old Mary Shelley stands over a bloodied corpse and knows her words are to blame. To claim those words – she knows there is more death to come.

Award-winning playwright Jess Sayer builds on the bones of history to re-imagine the events of the infamous night that birthed Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.

Co-created and directed by Oliver Driver, who brought you Amadeus, MARY is a bloody phantasmagoria like you’ve never seen before. Kill to get a ticket.

“Can you not feel it? The power of possibility coursing through your veins? Tonight, we are not men or women, we are gods!”

Jess Sayer

Playwright

Oliver Driver

Director

John Verryt

Set Desinger

Jo Kilgour

Lighting Designer

Leon Radojkovic

Sound Designer

Arlo Green

Actor

Olivia Tennet

Actor

NZSL-Interpreted	by Platform Interpreting NZ Sat 6 Sep 8:00pm
Audio-Described & Touch Tour	by Audio Described Aotearoa Sun 31 Aug 4:00pm
Relaxed Performance	Tue 2 Sep 7:00pm This relaxed performance is a comfortable and inclusive experience which may be especially welcomed by autistic and neurodivergent audience members.

By arrangement with

“Jess Sayer has a justified reputation as one of the leading New Zealand playwrights of her generation.”

— Theatre Scenes

Event and Ticketing Details

Duration

2 hours, including interval

Advisory

Includes offensive language, depictions of drug use, sexual content and violence.

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Parking

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Take the hassle out of finding a car park. Pre-book a space at our theatre car park - just a short walk to the theatre.

Book Parking

Creative Learning

MARY: The Birth of Frankenstein is suitable for year level 13. Supporting resources are available for ākonga.

School Matinee Programme

Ways To Save

Pay What You Wish

If you’ve never been to the theatre before, we have one night to give it a go risk-free. It’s first in, best seats, with the performance ticketed as General Admission. Tickets on sale at least 3 weeks before the performance.