Name: Frankenstein or: Dirty Creation
Start: 2026-06-07T21:30:00+02:00
End: 2026-06-07T23:10:00+02:00
Location: Münchner Volkstheater

A stage frenzy between creation and terror

With Frankenstein or: Dirty Creation, the Munich Volkstheater brings one of the most impactful myths of modernity to the stage: the story of a scientist who creates life and is shattered by his own hubris. Philipp Arnold shapes an intense stage experience from Mary Shelley's classic and Thomas Melle's adaptation, addressing questions of responsibility, humanity, and technical transgression with great theatrical tension.

A classic that burns today

Mary Shelley's novel, first published in 1818 and long regarded as the birth of horror and science fiction literature, unfolds its dark weight anew at the Volkstheater. The staging relocates the inner turmoil of the material to a present where humanity increasingly chases its inventions. This is precisely where the power of this evening lies: it does not present a museum-like horror cabinet but a sharply intellectual play about guilt, loneliness, and the price of progress.

Direction, stage, and a play with shadows

Philipp Arnold and his team design virtual realms of possibility in which the horrifying is not just told but physically felt. The stage, costumes, and lighting design create an atmosphere between cold laboratory precision and poetic nightmare. The evening thrives on quick shifts in perspective, the tension between creation and disruption, and a direction that considers the monster not as an effect but as a question. Who creates whom here? Who bears responsibility once the spark has ignited?

Acting craft with a double bottom

With Julian Gutmann as Viktor, Cedric Stern as Frankenstein, and Ninsch Noé Stehlin as the creature, an ensemble arises that precisely exploits the torn nature of the material. Particularly intriguing is the character of Shelley, played by Jawad Rajpoot, who adds an additional, contemporary layer as a figure of intelligence. Thus, the focus shifts from mere horror to questions of intelligence, creation, and the power of narrative itself.

Theater atmosphere at the Munich Volkstheater

The house on Tumblingerstraße provides the fitting resonance space for this material: clear sight lines, urban energy, and a stage on which grand images can unfold. The performance lasts 1 hour and 40 minutes without an intermission, concentrating tension without any distraction. The audience experiences an evening that not only entertains but resonates: as a sensual, intellectual, and emotional stage experience.

Conclusion

Frankenstein or: Dirty Creation promises a clever, visually powerful theater event that navigates between classic material and contemporary pressure. Those interested in challenging productions, strong acting, and grand themes should experience this evening live at the Munich Volkstheater.