Young Frankenstein...my review

[Stagehand 15]

Posted: 8/7/07 at 1:05pm

Living in Seattle and not hearing spoilers about “Young Frankenstein” has been about as hard as waiting two weeks to read the last Harry Potter book and not hearing what happened to the title character. Mel Brooks, Megan Mullally, Roger Bart, Shuler Hensley and Thomas Meehan have all been interviewed on numerous Seattle TV and radio shows as well as newspaper articles. Many of them can be podcasted on KUOW’s “The Beat” (an NPR radio station here in Seattle).

I was called a couple of times to work on the show but I turned them down because of other commitments and because I wanted to see the show fresh.

A couple of days ago a friend, who has been working 16-hour a day on the show, called and asked if I would like to see the very first complete run through in front of an audience. Of course I said yes.

On my way to a pre-show dinner I bumped into the tech who had given me the ticket along with a number of other crew members who are working on the show. They asked me how much I wanted to hear about the show. I said, “Nothing.” So instead we talked about some of the funny rehearsals and how the cast had not gotten through the entire show prior to tonight’s performance. They talked a lot about the amount of scenery in the theatre and how the actors could hardly make their way between pieces to get on stage.

At 7:15 we finished dinner and made our way to the Paramount Theatre. We stood in a short line for 10 or 15 minutes waiting to get checked in. With our tickets in hand we climbed the stairs to the balcony and waited for the house to open. At 7:50 we were allowed to go in and take a seat. We ended up in the third row very near the center.

At 8:03pm Susan Stroman walked up on stage to introduce the show and to say that since this was still a technical rehearsal there might be the chance of a stop or two. She finished with the words, “Welcome to Transylvania and welcome to Young Frankenstein.”

Spoiler Alert!

“Young Frankenstein” starts with a very simple drop (as the grand curtain). There is no false proscenium as there is in “Wicked” or “Phantom.” The drop is painted in blues and white and depicts Frankenstein’s castle on top of a steep mountain over looking the village.

As the overture is played “A Village in Transylvania, 1934” is projected on the main curtain. It was said in an interview that there had been much debate as to which was “funnier” … 1931 or 1934. Mel said that 1934 was a much funnier number.

As the curtain rises the Transylvania villagers are singing about how things will be better now that Dr. Frankenstein has died (“Frankenstein is Dead/The Happiest Town in Town”). As they finish they are told that Frankenstein had a grandson but are reassured that he would have no reason to come to Transylvania.

I’ve seen more than 100 musicals at the Paramount and have heard great touring PA systems and very poor ones. Sorry to say this show leaned towards the bottom end of that scale. I could not understand half of what the chorus was saying or singing. My usual seats at the Paramount are in the seventh row, center, of the orchestra section (main floor) so I’m not used to hearing shows from the balcony.

The action switches to a classroom in a medial school (in New York) where Roger Bart is introduced as Dr. Frankenstein. He corrects them by saying, “That’s Fronkensteen.” The action is in front of a simple drop depicting a chalkboard and medical wall charts. The scene duplicates the movie with an old guy getting kneed in the groin. Frankenstein sings, “There is nothing like a Brain.” This is a word list song that is sung very quickly (like the “Museum Song” in “Barnum” or “Modern Major General” in “Penzance”). I hear the lyrics to this song have changed a lot and Roger Bart was having trouble finishing it in prior rehearsals. He got through it with no problems tonight.

The doctor receives a telegram telling him that his grandfather has died and that he must go to Transylvania or he will not inherit anything.

At the Transylvania bound ship Elizabeth (Megen Mullally) makes her first appearance. She is dressed in a stylish 30’s red dress and reddish hair. As Frederick tries to kiss her goodbye she sings, “Please Don’t Touch Me.” They go into a dance number where they stand a foot or so apart. Three or four more couples join in the dancing and the punch line is that the guys don’t catch the girls as they finish the dance number. I felt the sequence needed more polish and didn’t work for me. Others around me found it funny.

At the train station Frederick starts with the movie line, “Pardon me boy, is this the Transylvania station…”. Igor shows up and they go into a duet number called, “Together Again For The First Time.” The song was cute enough but there was a quick reprise that didn’t work for me. Maybe it was because there were only a few hundred people in attendance (instead of 2,500) but I don’t think the reprise got the reaction they wanted.

Sutton Foster as Inga makes her appearance with “Roll in the Hay.” This scene was cleverly done using rear projection and a couple of actors in horse heads (ala Equis).

As they arrive at the castle they are welcomed by (Andrea Martin) Frau Blucher (horse whinny).

Frederick falls asleep in his grandfather’s study and is awakened by the deceased Dr. Frankenstein in a production number called “Join The Family Business.”

Frederick and Inga do the “Put the Candle Back” routine (again, lifted straight out of the movie). Roger Bart is a very good comedian and makes this scene fresh.

In the lab Frau Blucher (horse whinny) confesses her love for Frankenstein’s grandfather in “He Vas My Boyfriend.” This song is a kind of a parody of the Liza Minnelli chair song in “Cabaret.”

The laboratory is the most extensive set in the show. Upstage is a long 25-step staircase (ala the old Frankenstein films). There are a lot of electronics and lab equipment. When the switches are thrown there’s a lot of sparks, smoke and electrical arcs.

Elizabeth makes her second appearance near the end of act one as she talks on the phone with Frederick and sings “Alone.” As the doctor finishes his creature he sings “Life, Life.”

The Monster comes to life and crashes through the wall of the castle as the villagers are singing “Welcome to Transylvania” (a kind of a barbershop quartet song). The town folks then go into “Transylvania Mania” (another production number).

The intermission came at 9:55pm.

Act two opens in the forest with “He’s Loose.” Kemp and the Villagers are hot on the trail of the Monster.

Back in the laboratory Frederick and Inga are finding another use for the operating table (“Listen to Your Heart”). As the table rises up out of view discarded clothes drop to the stage floor. At the same time Elizabeth enters the lab with the song, “Surprise”.

Scene 3 is one of the funnier pieces in the show. Again it is lifted almost directly from the film but adds “Please Send Me Someone” to the blind hermit scene. The only problem I had with the bit was Shuler’s telegraphing the thumb lighting by constantly holding out his thumb that was obviously doctored to light on fire.

“Puttin’ On The Ritz” was the biggest production number of the show. Not only did you have the monster and Frederick singing and dancing but Inga, Blucher, Igor and 14 others. The chorus members danced in green monster masks and 4-inch high boots.

At the end of this production number the Monster is scared by some exploding proscenium lights. During his escape from the theatre he kidnaps Elizabeth. In the woods the Monster has his with Frederick’s fiancée. After the “quickie” Elizabeth has the best song of the night with “Deep Love.”

Once they get the Monster back to the laboratory the show plays out much like the end of the movie. The Monster gets Frederick’s brains and Frederick gets the Monster’s bedroom skills.

Frederick has a nice closing song with “Frederick’s Soliloquy” and the Monster get to reprise “Deep Love.”

The curtain dropped at 10:55pm.

So, how did I like the show. Well, I’ll give it a 7 out of 10. Seattle has been lucky to see many Broadway bound shows. Some, like “Hairspray”, were polished and instantly ready for the Great White Way. Others, like “The Wedding Singer,” “Prince and the Pauper,” “Yankee Doodle Dandy” and “Princesses” were not.

I think one of the biggest problems with the show is that the history of the film version keeps getting in the way. Why take all this time to set up a joke if the audience already knows the punch line. To me it was like watching “Rocky Horror” for the 55th time. You want to talk back. It was the same with “Young Frankenstein, the Musical.” The vivid memories of the film and all it’s unforgettable catch phrases kept getting in the way.

A note to the make up artists: you need to make sure the Monster is green (everywhere). If he undoes his shirt or rolls up his sleeves the newly exposed flesh needs to be green, too. It was very weird to have the green make-up stop at his chin. Also, the Monster hair needs to be more stringy. The wig looks like a lot of black Yak hair glued onto a bald cap.

The actors are great!

Roger Bart really works his but off. He sings, acts and dances very well.

Sutton Foster has a lot of fun with her part and looks stunning in her outfits. She really surprised me be doing the splits on top of the operating table. Now that’s talent.

Megan Mullally’s character needs a little more polish and development. I’m sure this will happen.

Shuler Hensley makes a good monster. He grunts well but really doesn’t get a musical number until near the end of the show.

All in all the show should and will be a success. I’ll be seeing the it at least two more times while it’s here in Seattle. I’ll write more when I see it again and let you know how it has changed.

All the best and Happy Theatre Going.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 8/7/07 at 1:09pm

drat, I had to stop at "spoiler alert" as we are seeing this in November in NYC......I'll have to read this after.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 8/7/07 at 1:13pm

How was Andrea Martin?

[jordangirl]

Posted: 8/7/07 at 1:15pm

Elphaba...I'm assuming you haven't seen the movie then.

I haven't and don't really care to. I don't worship at the altar of Mel Brooks. But it sounds like if you've seen the movie, you've pretty much seen the show.

[jaystarr]

Posted: 8/7/07 at 1:18pm

Stagehand- Thank you so much for a detailed review - I cant wait to see it ..

J*

Updated On: 8/7/07 at 01:18 PM

[bjh2114]

Posted: 8/7/07 at 1:19pm

Stagehand, what order did the principals bow in at the curtain call? I assume that Roger Bart had the last bow, but what about the other 6?

Posted: 8/7/07 at 1:21pm

Thanks for the review!

[MarkRascati]

Posted: 8/7/07 at 1:23pm

lucky you.


So what do you think about that Tony win? :)

[Stagehand 15]

Posted: 8/7/07 at 1:24pm

Order of curtain bows:
If I remember correctly they were...
Kemp (Fred Applegate)
Frau Blucher (Andrea Martin)
The Monster (Shuler Hensley)
Inga (Sutton Foster)
Elizabeth (Megan Mullally)
Frederick (Roger Bart)took the final bow

I believe that was the order.

[BroadwayEnthusiast2]

Posted: 8/7/07 at 1:24pm

Great, detailed review. Unfortunately, it sounds a bit TOO muvh like the film. I'm glad to hear Megan gets more stage time. What were your favorite numbers and were they as good as the songs from 'The Producers'?

[bjh2114]

Posted: 8/7/07 at 1:27pm

So do you know if they are billing Megan as leading and Sutton as featured then? Or are they both leading or both featured? Thanks for the list.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 8/7/07 at 1:28pm

EDIT: The question was just asked above.

Updated On: 8/7/07 at 01:28 PM

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 8/7/07 at 1:28pm

For ALL the obvious reasons (I don't need to elaborate), Sutton IS sporting a blonde wig for INGA. Inga is a blonde Swede, therefore she IS blonde. Plus, Sutton also mentioned during a press preview that she was looking forward to being a 'blonde'.

INGA = Blonde Swede

[BroadwayEnthusiast2]

Posted: 8/7/07 at 1:30pm

I would think it would go: Megan, Sutton, Roger. hmmm.

[cubanpab]

Posted: 8/7/07 at 1:44pm

i'm very excited! a 7 out of 10 on its very first run-thru sounds pretty good to me... i love the film, so if it stays faithful to it, and adds a bunch of fun musical numbers, then i cant imagine it'd be bad.

[MillieDillmount]

Posted: 8/7/07 at 1:47pm

Ok, I'm like a million times more excited to see this now!! Being a huge Sutton Foster fan, she sounds like a RIOT!! I'm excited to see her do the whole candlestick part. That's one of my favorite parts in the movie. Does Inga still have that 'big knockers' joke when her and Fredrick are going into the castle?

What's Igor's costume like? How does the hump look? Does he have the moving hump? In an interview it sounded like he did, but I'm curious as too how it works.

Thank you so much for this review. I'm sure by the time it comes to Broadway all those little kinks will be worked out. But it sounds like it's gonna be amazingly funny!

~Darci

[Stagehand 15]

Posted: 8/7/07 at 1:48pm

The program's who's who page has the actors listed in this order:
Roger Bart
Megan Mullally
Sutton Foster
Shuler Hensley
Andrea Martin
Fred Applegate

[Jon]

Posted: 8/7/07 at 1:49pm

To paraphrase Tom Meehan:

Inga,Ulla. Ulla, Inga.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 8/7/07 at 1:51pm

Good to hear.

[Stagehand 15]

Posted: 8/7/07 at 1:56pm

Yes, the "Big Knockers" joke is in the show as are all the other well known lines from the film.

I have forgotten to mention Christopher Fitzgerald's Igor in my review or curtain calls. In the program he is listed after Kemp (go figure).

Yes, he has a hump and it does in fact move around. When the doctor pats him on the back there is a big hollow sound. Very funny.

Igor's costume is a tight fitting black tights and hooded pull-over (much like in the film).

It was hard to figure out just how tall he was. When you first see him he is stooped over and during most of the show he has his knees bent in one direction or another.

I was very impressed with Fitzgerald's acting and comedy. I was told at dinner that he comes from the Northwest (or at least went to school somewhere near here) but I don't think I've seen him in a show before.

[Stagehand 15]

Posted: 8/7/07 at 2:03pm

Somethingwicked asked about Andrea Martin as Frau Blucher. Andrea was very funny but she's not really given anything new to do that wasn't in the film. She gets to sing, "He Vas My Boyfriend" and join in on "Surprise" and "Puttin' on the Ritz."

[HBBrock]

Posted: 8/7/07 at 2:15pm

Christopher Fitzgerald went to school at Rollins College in Orlando.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 8/7/07 at 2:25pm

So were the sets really that big?

Posted: 8/7/07 at 2:32pm

Where would you consider the best seating for this show???

[tazber]

Posted: 8/7/07 at 2:39pm

What was your impression of the score? The Producers' music never really impressed me. Was there any growth in Brooks' songwriting?