It's Alive!

This line, uttered by Victor von Frankenstein in the 1931 film version speaks of a wondrous happening: of the creation of new life by a Man. In Mary Shelly's book, the creature was beautiful with well proportioned limbs, with beautiful facial features, long flowing black hair, white teeth and being well muscled - it was only the contrast with the dull eyes, the thin black lips and the shriveled nature of the features due to death that were horrifying in their contrast.

In Frankenstein's creation we have a tragedy: a being, brought to life in the triumph of science, only to fall victim to fear and eventual loathing. This creature eventually turned on its creator before fleeing to the pole and being frozen forever in time away from society: an immortal bound in a static tomb.

In Freddie's life we can see mirrored this creation, this 'monster', brought to life to achieve a dream, and yet a creature which turns on its creator.

In many way a tragic figure, Freddie created the persona required to survive on stage. He listened and watched and learnt from the greats who had gone before and who were performing at the same time. He took elements of his own personality: his eastern mystique, his love of flamboyance and art, his intense charisma and his instinctive understanding of what would and what wouldn't work and melded them into his own creature. The tragedy is that, as this was not the real him, it was doomed to either take over his life and eventually destroy him, or be cast aside and he would be left an empty shell whose dream had been lost.

The shy, private, introspective Freddie was a person longing for peace and love, yet lured by the tantalizing desire for fame and fortune. His alter-ego was the charismatic, flamboyant, effeminate, dramatic, all-encompassing king of the stage. This was the person who had it all: adoration, adulation, worship, fans who would do and give anything for a moment with him.

Ultimately, this was an empty success, yet one which was