Arts University Bournemouth (AUB)'s Dr Kevan Manwaring gave a specially commissioned performance as part of the celebrations for Mary Shelley's 227th birthday.
The Frankenstein author was honoured at events at her final resting place, St. Peter's Church in Bournemouth town centre, on Friday 30 August.
Kevan's event, Mary Shelley Unbound, was a wild ghost chase across Bournemouth; a playful creative-critical piece especially written for the anniversary of Mary Shelley’s birth, honouring the writer in a site-specific performance at her grave.
“As a proto-feminist and pioneering writer of science fiction, Mary Shelley is one of English literature’s most influential writers," comments Kevan, who leads the MA Creative Writing (Online) programme and teaches on AUB's on-campus BA (Hons) Creative Writing course. "Her works have inspired countless documentaries, movies, comic strips, novels, tourist attractions, monographs, merchandising, and memes.
“What if she were alive today? What would she have to say about artificial intelligence, #MeToo, Barbie, and the climate crisis? In my piece, the spirit of Mary Shelley rises from her grave at St Peter's and roams the modern world, casting a cool, critical eye on it all. What will she make of us today?”
Organised by Bournemouth Writing Festival, in collaboration with the Shelley Trust, the evening’s entertainment also featured Mother of Monsters, a performance by Christy Fearn and Greg Gwyther, who revealed the truth behind Mary Shelley's prophetic writing and its relevance today.
A Q&A session followed the two performances, hosted by Shelley Trust founder Katherine Edgar, for a deeper delve into Mary Shelley's life, her works, and her lasting impact on literature and culture.
