For those in and around the UK in the not-too-distant future whether by residence or on holiday, here’s a definitive ‘must-see’ moment to quickly consider….and, to report back to us on.

Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller in Frankenstein

Look up ‘must-see’ in any dictionary and you’ll read a description of the upcoming production of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Directed by Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Days) and starring Benedict Cumberbatch (Fortysomething, Atonement, The Last Enemy and Sherlock and Jonny Lee Miller (Trainspotting), the stage adaptation by Nick Dear (Jane Austen’s Persuasion) opens at the Royal National Theatre in London in previews on Saturday, 5 February.

Interesting twist to this presentation in that Cumberbatch and Miller will alternate the roles of Victor Frankenstein and ‘the Creature’ on different nights. Here’s the current schedule of who plays who on what night. Both will be reunited with Boyle who directed Cumberbatch in The Children’s Monologues and Miller in Trainspotting. Cumberbatch had just signed on for the role as we interviewed him recently as part of the PBS broadcast of the brilliant Steven Moffat / Mark Gatiss creation of Sherlock. All in all, not a bad year to go from Sherlock to Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy to Frankenstein to the second series of Sherlock, set to begin filming in May 2011.

Not hanging out in the West End any time soon? Not to worry. Another really cool twist will be the opportunity to see the production broadcast live in designated cinemas on 17 March, 2011 in the UK and varying dates around the world. Here’s a list of the participating cinemas that, hopefully, will be near where you are.