In this acclaimed visceral reimagining of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Emily Terndrup fuses explosive choreography and razor-sharp storytelling into a fierce, funny and fearless meditation on creation and consequence. Part gothic horror, part personal reckoning, Offspring is a pulse-racing collision of theatre and dance that grabs its audience by the throat and the heart. At its centre is a woman in her mid-to-late 30s, grappling with desire and dread as she contemplates the closing window to biological creation. Winner of three Dublin Fringe Festival Awards (2025), the show was named Outstanding Production & Best Dance Production of 2025 by The Arts Review. Riotously funny, breathtakingly physical and unexpectedly devastating, the performance becomes the monster itself: volatile, tender, contradictory, and profoundly human.
Bold, intelligent and utterly original, Offspring guarantees to spark questions long after the final breath.
Emily Terndrup
Emily Terndrup is a Cork-based performer, creator, and director working across theatre, dance, and film. She is currently Artist in Residence at the Cork Theatre Collective. Her previous professional work includes performances and collaborations with Lost Dog (Juliet and Romeo); Punchdrunk (The Burnt City; Sleep No More); and movement direction for theatre productions across Ireland, the UK, and Europe.
Dublin Fringe Festival (2025) - Winner: Best Performer, Best Design, & Spirit of the Fringe Award
Arts Review (2025) - Outstanding Production & Best Dance Production
Creative Team and Credits
Director Emily Terndrup Writer Emily Terndrup, after Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Performed and choreographed by Emily Terndrup Sound Design and Composition: Michael John McCarthy Lighting Design: Matt Burke Stage Manager: Molly Foley Production Manager: Laura Murphy, Eloise Hickey Producer: Leigh Hussey Design Consultant: LaurA Fajardo Castro Mask Design and Construction: Nicole Clifford Mound Engineer: Arran Mac Gabhann Material developed in collaboration with: Luke Murphy, Kath Duggan, and Ryan O’Neill With John Kendall
With special thanks to Ben Duke & Lost Dog, Luke Murphy, Gina Moxley, Laurie Uprichard & Dance Cork Firkin Crane, Naomi Daly, Ian Brown, Zoe Ní Riordáin, Bee Sparks, Katherine Murphy, Sophie Motley, and Ragnheiður Skúladóttir.
Funded by Cork County Council. Developed with support from Cork Theatre Collective, Dance Cork Firkin Crane, MAKE, The Everyman Theatre, and at FRINGE LAB with the support of Dublin Fringe Festival. Supported by Attic Projects and Luail.
‘Supernaturally brilliant.. In Offspring, everything is touched by genius… Beautifully insane, hilariously brilliant… Heartfelt, haunting and hilarious… A rare and genuine treat. Not to be missed.’
★★★★★ The Arts Review
‘Terndrup unleashes chaos, then controls it with comic timing… A subtle, personal exploration of creation and parenthood… Mixes an easy-going presence with expressive physicality.’
★★★★ The Irish Times
‘A marvelous work of dance-theater… masterfully crafted—splendid and profound alike.’
Un Fauteuil Pour L’Orchestre, Corinne François-Denève
‘An inventive and deeply engaging piece of theater…. (Terndrup) transforms a horror story into a human journey that is by turns hilarious, unsettling, and moving… The understated stage design, the atmospheric soundscapes, the twilight-hued lighting, and the evocative power of the choreography all come together with remarkable coherence. Yet it is Emily Terndrup’s presence—her fluid, uninhibited performance and total physical commitment—that truly brings the production to life.’
