Presumption: or, the Fate of Frankenstein
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Presumption; or, the Fate of Frankenstein
Richard Brinsley Peake's dramatic adaptation of Mary Shelley's novel, Presumption; or, the Fate of Frankenstein, premiered at the English Opera House in July 1823. It was the first of many dramatic and film adaptations, and was quite popular in its day, running for 37 performances. The success of the play inspired copy-cat burlesque versions in other theatres.
Peake was a popular and prolific dramatist, producing his first play in 1818 and continuing to write until his death. For many years he was employed by the English Opera House. Few of his works are remembered now, but in addition to Presumption, he wrote a large number of successful melodramas and farces, including the Gothic melodrama The Bottle Imp (1823) and The Evil Eye (1831).
A electronic edition of Presumption has been published at Romantic Circles.