London is gearing up for the much-anticipated debut of “Cruel Britannia: After Frankenstein,” a transformative play written and performed by Kristen Smyth. This personal and powerful production will run from June 18 to June 30, 2025, at The Glitch in Waterloo, marking Smyth’s remarkable return nearly 30 years after her influential role as production editor for the controversial ’90s magazine, Loaded.
Kristen Smyth’s evolution from the vibrant world of Loaded to a celebrated playwright and actress has been extraordinary. After leading a magazine that once sold up to half a million copies monthly, Smyth embarked on a deeply personal journey of transition to become a transgender woman. “Transitioning was the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” she reflected, acknowledging the significant changes that led her to a new life in Australia and a promising career in theatre.
“Cruel Britannia: After Frankenstein” reinterprets Mary Shelley’s iconic novel through a transgender lens, set in the tumultuous era of Thatcher’s Britain in 1983. In this adaptation, Viktor is transformed into Frank, an 80s football hooligan, while the Creature symbolizes Ruby, Frank’s concealed trans identity. The play powerfully merges the aggressive culture of West Ham’s Inter City Firm with contemporary gender politics, resonating well with audiences during its previous performances in Melbourne and at the Edinburgh Fringe. Critics praised its Edinburgh run as a “poetic epic,” highlighting the struggles of “hooligans and club kids [wrestling] for joy in a world that seeks to render them, and their queerness, monstrous.” The Age hailed it as “a trans goth classic.”
Smyth’s vivid and engaging storytelling, characterized as poetic, fierce, and humorously candid, explores her long quest for identity. What began with a therapist’s insightful question in 2018 has blossomed into a production that promises to deliver a challenging yet captivating experience for London audiences. Don’t miss the chance to see Kristen Smyth’s remarkable story come to life on stage.
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