Mary Shelley, Hammer Horror and live-scored storytelling meet at London’s Cinema Museum on 25 September. Frankenstein Unchained pairs horror actress Madeline Smith with composer Jason Frederick for a multimedia retelling of the Gothic classic — and at £20, it is one of the more unusual adaptation events on London’s September calendar.
Check Frankenstein Unchained tickets and live availability →
Latest Update
Frankenstein Unchained comes to the Cinema Museum in Kennington on Friday 25 September 2026. Doors open at 6:30pm, with the performance beginning at 7:30pm. Tickets are currently listed at £20.
The event is presented by Misty Moon and combines Mary Shelley’s story with live narration from horror actress Madeline Smith and an original soundtrack performed live by composer Jason Frederick.
Overview
This is not a conventional stage adaptation or a standard film screening. Frankenstein Unchained is an interactive multimedia interpretation of Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel, using narration, moving image and live music to reframe the familiar story of Victor Frankenstein and his creation.
What Is Frankenstein Unchained?
Jason Frederick’s wider Classic Horror Experience programme creates new live-scored encounters with classic horror stories and films. Frankenstein Unchained is one of the recurring productions within that programme and has already appeared at several UK venues.
For this Cinema Museum performance, the story is narrated live by Madeline Smith while Jason Frederick performs a new original score to picture.
Madeline Smith
Madeline Smith is closely associated with British horror and cult cinema. Her credits include Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell, Taste the Blood of Dracula, Theatre of Blood and the James Bond film Live and Let Die.
Her involvement gives this event an especially strong Hammer Horror connection while keeping Mary Shelley’s original novel at the centre of the experience.
The Live Horror Experience
The Cinema Museum describes the event as an interactive journey through Mary Shelley’s story. After the performance there is due to be a meet-and-greet, with autographs available to purchase.
That makes this an interesting crossover between literature, classic horror cinema, live performance and fan culture rather than a straightforward screening.
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein
First published in 1818, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus has become one of the most adapted Gothic novels ever written. Its themes of creation, responsibility, isolation, ambition and what it means to be human have moved repeatedly between page, stage and screen.
That makes Frankenstein Unchained a particularly good fit for Clarissa’s Corner’s From Covers to Curtains strand, where we follow stories as they change across different forms.
Date & Venue
Date: Friday 25 September 2026
Doors: 6:30pm
Performance: 7:30pm
Venue: The Cinema Museum, 2 Dugard Way, London SE11 4TH
Tickets
Tickets are currently listed at £20. The Cinema Museum also states that tickets may be available on the door subject to availability.
Check the official Cinema Museum event page for current availability and booking.
Accessibility
The Cinema Museum’s main hall is accessible by lift from the ground floor. The venue has also previously confirmed wheelchair access and an accessible toilet, but anyone with specific access requirements should contact the museum directly before booking because event-specific arrangements can vary.
Practical Information
The museum is currently open for scheduled events and pre-booked visits rather than general drop-in access. Refreshments are due to be available from the licensed café/bar when doors open.
Why See It?
If you like Gothic literature, Hammer Horror, unusual live cinema or adaptations that do something genuinely different with a familiar story, this is one of the more unusual Frankenstein events in London this autumn.
It also sits neatly between books, theatre, horror and film — exactly the kind of crossover Clarissa’s Corner loves to follow.
More Frankenstein on Clarissa’s Corner
We already have archive coverage of Frankenstein on tour in the UK, alongside Young Frankenstein and other adaptation-led coverage across the site.
You can also explore Chill & Thrill for more horror, strange cinema and spooky events.
FAQ
When is Frankenstein Unchained at the Cinema Museum?
Friday 25 September 2026. Doors open at 6:30pm and the performance starts at 7:30pm.
How much are tickets?
Tickets are currently listed at £20.
Who is appearing?
Madeline Smith provides live narration and Jason Frederick performs the original score.
Is this a film screening?
Not in the usual sense. It is a multimedia live performance built around Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein story, narration and live music.
