Which actor played the monster in the 1823 stage adaptation of Frankenstein?

Thomas Potter Cooke played the monster in the 1823 stage adaptation of Frankenstein, Presumption; or, the Fate of Frankenstein.

Written by Richard Brinsley Peake, Presumption was the first recorded theatrical adaptation of Mary Shelley’s novel. It opened at London’s English Opera House on 28 July 1823 and presented the Creature as a mute, blue-skinned figure. In the playbill, the role was represented by dashes rather than a personal name, reflecting the character’s status as an unnamed creation.

Cooke’s performance became one of the production’s major attractions. Mary Shelley attended the play on 29 August 1823 and praised Cooke’s expressive acting, especially the Creature’s attempts to respond to sounds and find support. The play ran for thirty-seven performances during its original 1823 season and helped revive interest in the novel.

The actor is sometimes listed in contemporary material simply as T. P. Cooke or T. Cooke. These forms refer to Thomas Potter Cooke, not to George Frederick Cooke or William Henry Irving. The familiar assistant character Fritz also originated in this adaptation, although he does not appear in Shelley’s novel.