Depending on your mood, you’ll either love or hate Young Frankenstein: The Musical. The play follows the plot of the classic Mel Brooks movie. The grandson of Dr. Victor Frankenstein returns to the family castle in Transylvania and embarks on reenacting the experiments that brought corpses to life. There are some silly romantic sub-plots. Dracula shows up. Singing, dancing. I thought the production was pretty vacuous. If you’re in the mood for fluff, you’re in luck. If you want something more, Young Frankenstein: The Musical will disappoint you. This tour company will be in your neighborhood soon. If you want to attend, you should buy tickets soon. Our performance was sold out. GRADE: C+
I have to agree that it was a major disappointment, especially so considering how much I loved the original movie of YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN.
But then, I was probably one of the few people disappointed in Brooks’s hugely successful musical version of THE PRODUCERS, which I would grade a Lachman-like “good but not great” even with Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick.
And don’t even get me started on PHANTOM OF THE OPERA…
My reaction to THE PRODUCERS was similar to yours, Jeff. Diane and I saw it in Toronto (without Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick) and I walked out thinking: “Ho hum.”
I know Mel Brooks is no longer young and that he’s probably past the point where he cares, but this recycling of his previous movie successes is really depressing. What’s next, a musical based on “Blazing Saddles”?
I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that a BLAZING SADDLES: THE MUSICAL was in production, Deb. The sad fact is that the recycled musicals pretty much suck.
I hope not, Deb.
Where there’s money to be made, you’ll see Broadway (and off-Broadway) types clamoring to turn movies like YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN into a stage play, Jeff.
I wonder if Brooks’ time has past. If we are not now too cynical to fall headlong into these things. Also composers that write great music do not seem to be interested in Broadway too much. A musical first needs great music. The plot is secondary.
Exactly, Patti. The music in YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN: THE MUSICAL is forgettable (except for the borrowing of “Putting on the Ritz”).