Before the monster ever stomped into literary history, there was Mary. Young, sharp-minded, grieving, in love, and full of ideas that didn’t always sit comfortably with the world around her.
That’s the Mary Shelley brought to the stage in this new production at the People’s Theatre — and it’s exactly why this play feels more timely than you might expect.
Written by Helen Edmundson, MARY SHELLEY steps away from the shadow of Frankenstein and places its creator firmly in the spotlight. We meet Mary not as a myth or a footnote, but as a teenage outsider wrestling with loss, creativity, and what it costs to follow your mind where it wants to go.
“Do you ever think it is a curse – this passion of the mind?”
That question hangs over the production, giving the play its emotional pulse. This isn’t a dusty literary biography or a polite history lesson. It’s a contemporary-feeling story about ambition, grief, and the fire that drives artists to keep going even when it hurts.
Directed by Matthew Hope and Tracey Lucas, the production is led by Holly Stamp as Mary — a performance that anchors the play’s emotional journey as we watch a young woman daring to live, love, and write on her own terms. It’s intimate, thoughtful, and quietly gripping, especially for anyone who’s ever felt slightly out of step with the world around them.
MARY SHELLEY forms part of the People’s Theatre’s newly announced season, which leans confidently into bold ideas and strong storytelling. Elsewhere in the programme you’ll find Dawn King’s The Trials — a courtroom drama where a teenage jury puts the older generation on trial for destroying the planet — alongside true-story dramas like The Thrill of Love and A Very Expensive Poison. Novel adaptations including The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and The Girl on the Train also feature, plus a Christmas panto to round out the season.
If you’re drawn to stories about creativity, identity, and the people behind famous ideas — and you’re wondering whether this is worth an evening out — this is one to put on your list.
Practical bits, because they matter:
MARY SHELLEY by Helen Edmundson
Tuesday 10 – Saturday 14 February 2026
7.30pm
People’s Theatre, Stephenson Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 5QF
Tickets £16 / £13.50
Tickets are available via the People’s Theatre box office on 0191 265 5020 (option 2) or online.
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