Young Frankenstein Review
Young Frankenstein Review
#1Young Frankenstein Review
Posted: 8/12/07 at 6:31pm
I saw both shows on Saturday the 11th and here's my kinda combined review and stage door. SPOILERS, beware. And I realize parts are more like a summary than review, but this show is so big and loud and in-your-face, it's hard to take it all in. As I see it more, I'll be able to get a better feel for individual performances and great moments, that kind of thing. But here's 5 pages worth, mad props if you read it all!
This show is AMAZING. F*cking amazing. I feel so bad for all those people who want this show to fail because it’s going to be a huge hit. Everything is just incredible: cast, set, costumes, story, music, lighting. I don’t even know where to start. And Andrea or Megan will walk away with a Tony from this, I just can’t figure out which. Whenever Megan’s onstage I’m like “hello Tony” but then when Andrea comes on I’m like “or maybe….” And Roger Bart is fantastic. I went in a bit jaded cuz I wanted Brian d’Arcy James, who I think would have been equally fantastic, but he was great. And Christopher Fitzgerald plays the PERFECT Igor, omg, hysterical. And Sutton! Wow, soooooooooo cute. She manages to play Inga sexy but still kinda geeky and awkward (which we all know is how Sutton is in real life) but it totally works, and she’s really good. I just feel like somehow she doesn’t have the stage presence the others do and she like a foot taller in those massive heels… And Shuler’s monster: fantastic. And special mention goes to Fred Applegate who plays the Hermit because that scene is side-splitting, but more to come on that. Ok so,
The show starts with the song “We’re the Happiest Town in Town” which is a classic big opening dance number where we meet Inspector Kemp and Ziggy the village idiot (who is also hysterically funny.) Victor von Frankenstein has died so the villagers rejoice until they learn Frederick lives. We dance, we sing, the costumes are fantastic.
Next we are transported to New York’s famous Johns Miriam Anthony Hopkins school of medicine where we meet Dr. Frederick Frankenstein who tells us he’s nothing like his grandfather because he believes in pure science and he sings “There’s Nothing like the Brain.” A really witty, well constructed song. They do the whole bit from the movie with the old man and reflexes. Then the messenger brings word that Frederick’s grandfather has died and he must go to Transylvania to take of the estate, so off we go.
So now we’re at the boat dock with the Dr. about to leave and we meet Elizabeth, his fiance. Megan Mullally, oh my God, no words. Girl can S.I.N.G. She sings “Please Don’t Touch Me” which starts off with just her but ends up this big production number with all the long legged Mel Brooks show girls. I just. Can’t even. Megan is fantastic. She is never allowed to leave the Broadway stage again, thanks.
Enter Igor who does the one-leg-dragging thing all the way across the stage as the Dr. keeps moving which of course makes everyone laugh, haha. They do the whole “my name is Frank-en-stein” bit and “Egor, not Igor.” Then Igor tells the Dr. he wants to work for him like their grandfathers did and they sing “Together Again for the First Time” which is really funny.
Next we meet Inga when Igor tells the doctor to jump in the hay wagon for a ride to Castle Frankenstein. She pops out of the hay dressed in this little peasant outfit thing and they travel to the castle while sing “Roll in Zee Hay.” COOLEST EFFECT OF THE SHOW: They’ve got what I’m assuming is a projection on a scrim of trees going past so it looks like the cart is actually moving, it’s phenomenal. Like both times I saw it I couldn’t get over how real it looked.
Now second best part of the show: Andrea. Holy mother her Frau Blucher is SPOT ON. After all the controversy with this role, people will NOT be disappointed. All she has to do is stand there and I crack up laughing. And talk about comedic timing, she is like the dictionary definition. And they totally do the horses neighing thing every time someone says “Blucher,” nice touch.
Now we’re in the castle in the library and the Dr. is looking through the books when Frau bids him goodnight. But first shes asks if he wants a brandy, he declines. Then some warm milk, still no. Ovaltine? NO! And then (we’re in Seattle remember) a tall soy caramel macchiato? HUGE laughs, the audience goes nuts. NO, nothing goodnight! And the Dr. starts to read but falls asleep and has a “dream” that his grandfather (who comes down out of his portrait in true theatre magic style) tells him to “Join the Family Business.” This number is great with all the male dancers dressed in lab coats and Einstein-looking wigs and the females in short little nurse-like outfits. They do some amazing dancing. AND Oh My God. Somehow, and I still can’t figure it out after having seen the show twice. The assemble this like 20 foot tall Frankenstein’s monster puppet that dances around the stage. The effect is amazing and the crowd goes wild, it’s really cool.
So the Dr. is back asleep in his chair having this nightmare when Inga comes to wake him up. They hear the violin music and decide it’s coming from behind the bookcase. So now we do the whole “Put. The. Candle. Back.” bit and the blocking the bookcase with my body. It’s great, gets lots of laughs and down the hidden passage we go.
The laboratory set: awesome. It’s got so much light up blinking flashing **** it could fit right in in Vegas, but it doesn’t look cheap or over-the-top, it’s perfect. So the Dr., Inga, and Igor try to figure out where the music was coming from and find Frau. They do that movie bit “so it was you who was playing the violin that’s still warm” all that and Frau proceeds to sing “He Vas My Boyfriend.” OMG, I almost peed. Like peed my pants I was laughing so hard. Andrea is sooooooooooooo serious that she was in love with Victor it’s just… bahahahaha. That’s all I can say. Maybe Andrea will get the Tony because this scene is pretty incredible.
So now Frau gives the Dr. his grandfather’s book about bringing the dead back to life and he decides to give it a try. This is, in my opinion, where the show needs some editing. This whole next bit gets really long with digging up the body and the villagers singing about wanting to run the Dr. out of town. I expected intermission to come after the Dr. yells “IT COULD WORK!” But it kinda drags until we get to “The Transylvania Mania” which is the big song and dance number that actually ends Act 1. Again your typical Mel Brooks showgirl dance number. HOWEVER, in the midst of making the monster Megan makes another appearance singing “Alone” which is her phone call to the Dr. from New York. She got on the best sparkly red dress and there are bubbles everywhere, ala Galinda in Wicked, a total show stopper, it’s great. That’s about the only thing that held my interest in the last 20 or so minutes of Act 1. Oh, and at the very end of the act, Frau releases the monster which is where we pick up in Act 2.
The villagers and our heroes are out trying to capture the monster. They sing “He’s Loose,” which fit’s the scene, but is a forgettable song.
Back to the lab where the Dr. is freaking out about the monster being loose and Inga sings “Listen to Your Heart” and the jump on the operating table thing and disappear under the sheet… wonder what’s going on? Side note: the table thing can be raised up cuz of the whole storm thing (like in the movie) so the platfrom goes up out of sight. Anyways, Frau and Igor run into the lab looking for the Dr. and find Inga’s clothes on the floor and figure out what’s going on. They exclaim, “What else could go wrong” and Elizabeth appears at the top of the steps. She sings “Surprise” as the platform comes back down and she realizes what was going on. The Dr. assures her it was “purely science” and all is well. End scene.
Ok, BEST BIT OF THE SHOW. The blind hermit. Fred Applegate, oh my God. Sooooooooooooo funny. He sings “Please Send Me Someone” and at the end of the song, the monster bursts through the wall. They do the whole movie bit with the soup and the wine and the lighting the finger on fire which scares the monster out of the house and Inga, Igor, and the Dr. sedate him and capture him. At which point the Hermit sings a mini-reprise “Any Other Someone.” Funny stuff!
Back in the castle the doctor goes into to talk to the monster and does the “Don’t open the door no matter what.” Here is where I suggest an evening show over a matinee. At the mat the Dr. screams things like “Let me the hell out!” but at the evening he screams, “Let me the F*CK out!” It caught me off-guard but it’s waaaaaaaaaaaay funnier.
So onto “Puttin’ On the Ritz.” Which is: wow. They bring down a fake stage procenium with a curtain and stuff so they talk and dance to the audience like they were the audience at the convention thing. It’s just like the movie until about 10 tap dancers come up out of the floor and it turns into a big production number. They also do this cool thing where the monster is dancing and his shadow is huge behind him, but it’s actually a person behind a scrim. Do they do this in the movie? I can’t remember. At the end, some light thing blows up and the monster freaks out and grabs Elizabeth and runs off into the forest.
Next scene. He carries Elizabeth to a cave and she sings “Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life” while they have sex. *Jumping back, just like the movie, since the monster is abnormally large, all his organs are also large… I think you know what I mean.* They emerge from the cage and Elizabeth tells him she’s fallen in love… but not just any love, deep love, long love, firm love. So she sings “Deep Love.” It’s raunchy, it’s dirty, it’s sick and wrong, and it makes you pee your pants laughing because Megan totally dead-pans it.
Back in the lab with the monster in tow, the Dr. does the brain transference thing and thinks he kills the monster. The villagers rush in and take him to the gallows for a hanging because the Inspector has passed a law that anyone who makes a monster who harms a villager dies and they found Elizabeth’s shoe and assume she’s dead.
Out at the gallows, the Dr. sings a soliloquy before he dies and the monster runs in to save him at the knick of time. They cut him down, think he’s dead, but the monster stabs him with the hair pin and he wakes up. The villagers want to hang them both though for killing Elizabeth when she enters dressed like the Bride of Frankenstein. The truth comes out and the monster sings a reprise of “Deep Love” while him and Elizabeth gaze into each other’s eyes, so the Dr. decides to marry Inga instead. Now everyone sings “Finale Ultimo” which is a bit like the opening number while the Dr. and Inga make out and we all live happily ever after.
Now, the curtain call gets a special mention because they sing a bit of “Together Again for the First Time” and throw in the line “Seattle loves Starbucks” which of course gets huge cheers.
Stage Door: matinee, I got Sutton, Roger and Megan’s autographs, everyone else made a break for it. No sign of Mel… Evening: Roger ran away this time, but I got Sutton, Megan and Andrea’s. Also VICTOR GARBER was there! People were trying to get his autograph but he was playing dumb like he didn’t notice the people at the barrier screaming his name, lol.
IN SUMMARY: The show is great, if you can’t tell. It is perfectly cast, has really great catchy songs, a modified story line that makes sense and works, and sets and costumes that reflect a multi-million dollar Broadway budget. I am predicting a huge hit that runs for years. Maybe not a critical hit, it’s hard to say, but the audience clearly loves it and in the end, that’s what counts, as we all know. So you’ll definitely want to see this in Seattle if you can, or when it gets to New York. I can’t wait to go again because it’s already changing. I saw a different show Saturday night than I did at the matinee.
Updated On: 8/12/07 at 06:31 PM
#2re: Young Frankenstein Review
Posted: 8/12/07 at 6:36pm
Thanks for taking the time to post this. Unfortunately, due to the spoilers I only read the first and last paragraphs. 
I am glad that you enjoyed yourself and were able to see it before it goes to NYC.
#2re: Young Frankenstein Review
Posted: 8/12/07 at 7:01pmNice review, thanks for taking the time. <3
-Benjamin
--http://www.benjaminadgate.com/
--http://www.benjaminadgate.com/
#3re: Young Frankenstein Review
Posted: 8/12/07 at 7:14pm
coupla questions...
The song "There's Nothing Like a Brain." Is this, in any way, a play on the Rodgers and Hammerstein song, "There is Nothing Like a Dame."?
Is the song, "Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life" the original by by Rida Johnson Young & Victor Herber, made famous by Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald as in the movie? Or is this an original song written for this production?
Art has a double face, of expression and illusion.
#4re: Young Frankenstein Review
Posted: 8/12/07 at 7:17pmgreat review, thanks. can't wait to see it!
#5re: Young Frankenstein Review
Posted: 8/12/07 at 7:34pm
"Sweet Mystery" is the original, she only sings like... 3 lines, I think?
"...The Brain" is a BIT of a play on the song. But taken on its own, it's really funny and well crafted.
Updated On: 8/12/07 at 07:34 PM
#6re: Young Frankenstein Review
Posted: 8/12/07 at 8:29pmThanks for the answers and the great review!
Art has a double face, of expression and illusion.
#7re: Young Frankenstein Review
Posted: 8/12/07 at 11:21pm
Thank you for posting such a great review! You have NO idea how excited I am for this!! I'm like dying to see Sutton in this!! *jealous that Sutton actually stage doors in Seattle*
I would love some details at the stage door! Is Megan Mullally sweet in person? I noticed you have a picture with her. Do you have any more pictures? 
Again, thanks for the great review!!
~Darci
purpleprince101
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/19/06
#9re: Young Frankenstein Review
Posted: 8/12/07 at 11:46pm
Thanks for taking the time to write that long review! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
I can't WAIT to see this show!!! It sounds amazing!
RentBoy86
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/15/05
#10re: Young Frankenstein Review
Posted: 8/13/07 at 1:14am
I'm suprised to hear of Sutton's lack of stage presence, but compared with the cast --- maybe it's not so much a suprise?
What was the show curtain?
Also, what does the Monster look like? Is he on stilts and stuff?
#11re: Young Frankenstein Review
Posted: 8/13/07 at 2:39am
Stage Door: Megan is very sweet. She took time to talk with everyone about the show and the city and where people were from, all that kind of stuff. When people were willing to come sign, they were nice, but I completely understand how tired they must be so I didn't want to go chasing down anyone who tried to escape. I wish more people would realize the SD is a priviledge, not a right. They just gave you a 2.5 hour phenomenal performance, and that's what you paid for. Any time they spend after that is a blessing, end rant. And I also got pictures with Sutton and Andrea and I am kicking myself for not taking my camera to the matinee to get Roger...
Sutton: She is still great, it's just when you get more than about 3 main characters onstage, she didn't pull my focus like the others would. There is some serious competetion (in a friendly way, of course) on that stage for laughs and scene stealing moments. And perhaps part of it is the role that doesn't lend itself to being the center of attention...
Show curtain: Do you mean, like before the show starts? It's a scrim with this big spiral mountain and a castle on top with a giant moon. It's really cool looking and as the overture starts and the lights dim there's all these strobe lights and lighting bolts flash across it then a single lamp flickers on in the top of the tower.
The monster: He must not be on very tall stilts because he's not much taller than Roger who's not a tall guy. He clearly wears a big suit that makes his body wide and big boots that add probably most of the height. He's painted pale green, although the underside of his hands weren't, and that bothered me...
Any more questions, don't be afraid to ask!! I am so excited, I can't talk enough about this show and most people I know don't really care so I'm so happy you're all as excited about it as I am!!
Updated On: 8/13/07 at 02:39 AM
FutureAladdinOnB'Way
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/21/07
#12re: Young Frankenstein Review
Posted: 8/13/07 at 2:43amI see this next Saturday, I'm really excited; some of my friends have seen it and said it was amazing!
#13re: Young Frankenstein Review
Posted: 8/13/07 at 2:52am
What you described is indeed the show curtain, and it sounds really cool! Out of curiosity was there a different one during intermission?
Cute pics!
Was there per chance a Wicked reference that the monster had? Lol
-Benjamin
--http://www.benjaminadgate.com/
--http://www.benjaminadgate.com/
#14re: Young Frankenstein Review
Posted: 8/13/07 at 3:05am
"Any more questions, don't be afraid to ask!! I am so excited, I can't talk enough about this show and most people I know don't really care so I'm so happy you're all as excited about it as I am!!"
If you have any kind of instant messagers I'll be more than happy to talk to you about YF all you want! Granted I haven't seen it yet, but I'm like insanly excited to see this!!
Hope that doesn't sound creepy, but I'm totally serious. If you have an IM let me know and I'll PM you my SN.
I love your pictures, btw. Sutton's so amazing! I'm amused by how Megan isn't even looking at the camera. haha. I love that woman and I'm insanly excited to see / meet her hopfully in Nov!!
~Darci
#15re: Young Frankenstein Review
Posted: 8/13/07 at 3:12am
Nope, same one at intermission. And the monster didn't have any Wicked reference which actually really surprised me. And thanks, I was kinda sad my Sutton one didn't really turn out though... maybe next time!
Darci: I do have both AIM and MSN and I would LOVE to talk! Do you have plans to see it? And about Megan, my camera flashes like 314057 times before it actually takes a picture, but I forgot to warn her, so she started to move, lol. But again, next time, I'll be prepared!
#16re: Young Frankenstein Review
Posted: 8/13/07 at 3:16am
WOOHOO! Yes, I have plans to see it over Thanksgiving break. But I NEED to get my tickets NOW!!! And I thought your Sutton picture came out great! She's so beautiful!
PMing you now!
~Darci
#17re: Young Frankenstein Review
Posted: 8/13/07 at 6:56am
WickedForever- Thanks for the nice review .. and great pics too I can't wait to see it this October in NYC.
J*
Updated On: 8/13/07 at 06:56 AM
#18re: Young Frankenstein Review
Posted: 8/13/07 at 7:14amIs everyone billed below the title? And did the other three principals (Christopher Fitzgerald, Fred Applegate, Shuler) come out the stage door either time?
"What was the name of that cheese that I like?"
"you can't run away forever...but there's nothing wrong with getting a good head start"
"well I hope and I pray, that maybe someday, you'll walk in the room with my heart"
brooksfan86
Swing Joined: 8/13/07
#19re: Young Frankenstein Review
Posted: 8/13/07 at 7:12pm
Thank you for the killer review! I really enjoyed it! I'm going to see this in a few weeks and I was wondering: where exactly is the Paramount's stage door? I've only been there once, and I don't remember seeing it.
Also, are they selling anything related to the show in the lobby? The last time I was there I saw Twelve Angry Men, and they had posters for sale.
ChecksintheMayo
Stand-by Joined: 10/26/06
#20re: Young Frankenstein Review
Posted: 8/13/07 at 7:33pmThey've got YF & "Abby Normal" shirts & hats, magnets, shot glasses and a "Limited Edition" window card.
#21re: Young Frankenstein Review
Posted: 8/13/07 at 7:58pm
Billing: All below the title.
Stage Door: Christopher comes out, but doesn't sign, and I didn't see Fred or Shuler either time, but I had to leave kinda quickly both times, they might just take longer.
Location: The stage door is up the side of the building where the box office is. Just keep walking up 9th I believe it is, and you'll run into the barrier outside the door.
Merchandise: ChecksintheMayo is right. I got an "Abby Normal" shirt because that has always been one of my favorite parts of the movie, so I just had to. It's actually not that expensive, the shirt was only $25.
And thank you for the picture compliments everyone!
esparza 333
Broadway Star Joined: 7/24/07
#22re: Young Frankenstein Review
Posted: 8/14/07 at 2:43pmIs it good for kids?
Current Avatar:The sensational Aaron Tveit in the soon to be hit production of Catch Me If You Can.
tomemiller
Understudy Joined: 9/3/06
#23re: Young Frankenstein Review
Posted: 8/14/07 at 6:16pmWait!!! Not only was Victor Garber there Saturday night but also Sean Hayes was there too! Thanks for the wonderful description of the show!
#24re: Young Frankenstein Review
Posted: 8/14/07 at 7:27pmIt would really depend on the age and maturity level... I think for a kid younger than about 9 or 10, the sexual innuendo would go over their head. It would certainly hold their interest, there is always a lot going on. And they seem to PG-rate the matinee, there was no bad language. But for an evening show, all bets are off. There were a few f-bombs dropped. I would say yes. Either they won't get what's going on, and if they do, well then they know what's going on so you're not corrupting them!
