An Examination of Humanity: Exploring the Themes of Frankenstein – Playing with Fire
The moral and ethical questions that novelist Mary Shelley raised in Frankenstein 200 years ago remain as relevant as ever: What does it mean to be human? What are the limits and responsibilities of human creativity and invention? What does it mean to be an “other” outside the bounds of what society defines as “normal”?
Join Guthrie artists and a panel of medical experts from Mayo Clinic for an engaging discussion around the ideas and topics presented in the play and the novel, from neurology and bioethics to the concept of “otherness.”
Open to patrons attending the matinee or evening performance on October 13.
About our panelists
Barbara Field, Playwright, Frankenstein – Playing with Fire
Barbara Field’s work has been seen across the United States, Canada and Europe. She served as playwright-in-residence at the Guthrie Theater from 1974 to 1981 and created a number of pieces, including translations of Marriage (Gogol), Monsieur de Molière (Bulgakov) and Pantagleize (Ghelderode). Adaptations for the Guthrie based on novels include Camille (Dumas) and Frankenstein – Playing with Fire, a response to Mary Shelley’s classic novel. Field is a founding member of the Playwrights’ Center in Minneapolis.
Barbara Jordan, Administrator, Office for Diversity, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine
Barbara Jordan is a lifelong advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion. She is able to exercise her passion through her role as administrator for the Office for Diversity at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine. As an English major in college, her interest in Frankenstein, the human condition and “otherness” has now collided with her commitment to diversity.
Christopher Hook, M.D., Associate Professor of Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine
Dr. Christopher Hook is Associate Professor of Medicine and a Consultant in Hematology and Internal Medicine at the Mayo Clinic. Dr. Hook founded the Mayo Clinic Ethics Consultation Service and Clinical Ethics Council, and he is extensively involved in bioethics outside of Mayo Clinic.
Eelco F.M. Wijdicks, M.D., Professor of Neurology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine
Dr. Eelco F.M. Wijdicks is a Professor of Neurology at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Chair of the Division of Critical Care Neurology and attending neurointensivist in the Neurosciences Intensive Care Unit at Saint Mary’s Hospital in Rochester. He is the founding editor of Neurocritical Care, the official journal of the Neurocritical Care Society, and he has authored and co-authored 33 books on Critical Care and Emergent Neurology. He has also written more than 750 research papers, practice guidelines, topic reviews, book chapters and editorials.
