Mel Brooks Monster Musical Hits Boston

The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein

Book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan, Music and Lyrics by Mel Brooks, Direction and Choreography by Susan Stroman

Scenery by Robin Wagner, Costumes by William Ivey Long, Lighting by Peter Kaczorowski, Sound by Jonathan Deans, Music Direction/Conductor Robert Billig

Featuring: Roger Bart, Cory English, Brad Oscar, Rye Mullis, Beth Curry, Joanna Glushak, Anne Horak; Ensemble: Lawrence Alexander, Preston Truman Boyd, Stephen Carrasco, Jennifer Lee Crowl, James Gray, Stacey Todd Holt, Shauna Hoskin, Matthew Brandon Hutchens, Kristin Marie Johnson, Sarah Lin Johnson, Melina Kalomas, Brittany Marcin, Christopher Ryan, Krista Saab, Geo Seery, Lara Seibert, Jennifer Smith, Matthew J. Vargo, Erick R. Walck

Performances through May 2 at the Boston Opera House; Tickets available at box office of Colonial Theatre, Ticketmaster 1-800-982-2787, or www.BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com

Thank you, Mel Brooks, for bringing back the big, brassy Broadway musical! In an era of scaled back productions, small casts, and minimalist sets, Brooks presents the whole megillah in the touring company of his 2007 show The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein, playing through May 2^nd at the Boston Opera House. Although it doesn't rise to the heights of its multiple award-winning, blockbuster predecessor The Producers (what could?), Young Frankenstein is a worthy entertainment in its own right with a solid cast, high laugh quotient, and terrific production values.

Brooks and Gene Wilder adapted the Mary Shelley classic for the 1974 screen version, but Thomas Meehan co-wrote the libretto with Brooks for the stage. Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (pronounced "Fronkensteen") is a renowned brain surgeon and professor in New York who travels to Transylvania after the death of his grandfather Victor Von Frankenstein, the deranged genius whose experiments brought him infamy. Planning only to clear up estate matters before returning to New York and his untouchable fiancée Elizabeth (Beth Curry), Frederick (Roger Bart) is met at the train station by Igor (pronounced "Eye-gor"), his humpback assistant whose grandfather was Victor's assistant, who encourages him to pick up where the old man left off. To entice Frederick to stay, Igor (Cory English) introduces him to Inga (Anne Horak), a voluptuous lab assistant with a Master's degree from Heidelberg Junior College. After they arrive at his grandfather's gothic castle, Frederick has a bizarre nightmare in which his singing and dancing deceased relatives try to convince him to "Join the Family Business." Frederick and Inga discover the secret laboratory and Frau Blucher (Joanna Glushak) shows him Victor's book "How I Did It." The doctor gets caught up in it and begins work on his own creature, with mirth and mayhem following in equal doses. Inspector Kemp (Brad Oscar) and the villagers exhibit xenophobia, stupidity, and comic relief as they first try to prevent Frederick from repeating his grandfather's experiment, fail to capture the rampaging Monster (Rye Mullis), and decide to punish the scientist on the gallows. In the meantime, the subtext of the book is the humanity of the characters (even the Monster) as exhibited in the love between Frederick and Inga, the filial love between the creature and his creator, Igor's adoration of his Master, and even Frau Blucher's sustained love for her late boyfriend Victor.

If you loved the Oscar-nominated hit film, you won't be disappointed by the live action iteration as many of the famous lines and gags remain intact, including the horses that whinny at every mention of housekeeper Frau Blucher's name and the scene where the Monster descends upon the blind hermit's cottage. Best of all, Brooks and Director/Choreographer Susan Stroman have expanded the "Puttin' on the Ritz" song and dance number, imbuing it with cinematic qualities reminiscent of 1930s movies, as well as including the white tie-clad, tap dancing ensemble. The songs by Brooks and the dances by Stroman incorporate an eclectic mix of styles from Vaudeville to Bavaria to Broadway, and you might even find yourself humming a couple of the tunes on your way out of the theater.

Roger Bart originated the role of Dr. Frederick Frankenstein on Broadway and wears the part like a pair of comfortable old shoes. The good news is that he has a wonderful voice and a litany of facial expressions, but the bad news is that he doesn't stand out from some of the other principal actors. That tip of the cap goes to English for his singing, dancing, and comedic skills, and Oscar for his two differently-abled characters. Special kudos go to Mullis for his ability to bring some semblance of grace to his lumbering dance in the clunkiest footwear imagineable. Curry and Horak are both gifted singers, and Glushak, who looks like Cher with a mole, milks her role for all it's worth. The company features energetic, enthusiastic singers and dancers who bring Stroman's choreography to life.

Sets, costumes, and lighting are by the same award-winning designers who worked with Brooks on The Producers, and contribute to the overall impact of Young Frankenstein. Robin Wagner gives us a castle with just the right amount of creepiness and a laboratory full of vials, dials, and switches. Peter Kaczorowski's lighting effects include lightning and strobes, which are often accompanied by sound designer Jonathan Deans' thunder and noisy outbursts from the Monster.  Gorgeous gowns, ridiculous furs, and the ethnic attire of the villagers illustrate the talents of costume designer William Ivey Long.

The bottom line is that Young Frankenstein has Mel Brooks' fingerprints all over it. The schtick, the sizzle, the innuendo, the broad comedy, the comedic broads...it's all there. It may make you laugh or it may make you groan, but it is unmistakably his brand of humor. It no longer surprises me that he has the ability to write songs with both heart and humor, and that they move the story along or inform us about the characters as well. Imagine what Broadway would be like if Brooks hadn't taken forty years off to go to Hollywood. Well, he's only 83 - stay tuned for "Blazing Saddles."

 

Photo Credit: Paul Kolnik (Anne Horak, Roger Bart, Cory English, Joanna Glushak, Rye Mullis on table)