Just got home from seeing this (it opens in NY in a few weeks) and wanted to jot down my thoughts while they were still fresh. In case you aren't aware, I'm a HUGE Mel Brooks fan - especially Young Frankenstein and High Anxiety. I enjoyed the Producers (saw it a couple of times, including in NYC with Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick, who I think is absolutely adorable). But I digress...
To me, the big difference between seeing this show and The Producers is that I am significantly more aware of (including knowing many lines from) the movie version of Young Frankenstein. I think this is the case with many Mel Brooks fans - Young Frankenstein was/is a more popular flick. So, I found that I really missed the cast from the film and found myself comparing the cast from the show to the original film cast. In general, I think that the musical's cast was very good and comparable to the originals (but I missed them all).
One of the interesting things about the crowd was that they were applauding when each character appeared (aka "entrance applause" which bugs me cause they haven't done anything yet). After they did it for the guy playing Igor (I never heard of him, I doubt they have), I realized that they were applauding the character rather than the actor - I've never seen that, but to me, it again illustrated that the crowd overwhelmingly was filled with folks who loved the movie - I think that makes it harder on the show because we were all comparing the two.
Dr. Frankenstein was played by Roger Bart. At first, I wasn't too thrilled with his performance, but I must say that he grew on me. He has an impressive panic bordering on hysteria, which is necessary when playing this part.
Frau Blucher was an understudy, but I hear that Andrea Martin is excellent in the part. I enjoyed the understudy.
Elizabeth (the role played originally by one of my all time favorites, Madeleine Kahn) was played by Megan Mullaly, who was "Karen" in Will & Grace. First of all, the role is completely different from the original. This Elizabeth was a spoiled rotten slut - hmmm...reminds me of some character on tv....let me think....ahhhhh! Karen in Will & Grace. I think that Madeleine Kahn's Elizabeth was much more likeable and quite frankly, thought that having such a well known actor in the role playing it similarly to the role for which she's best known was a distraction to the show. Her singing was very good - she's obviously a theatre actor, but I didn't really appreciate the changes.
I thought everyone else was very good. Mel did a great job of including the classic lines and adding in some new unexpected ones just when you thought they had come to the punch line. There was a new scene in Act 1 that explained why Dr. Frankenstein decided to build the monster that I thought was kinda unnecessary and one short scene/song about the townspeople deciding to go find the Dr. The first act was a bit too long -- I'm hoping they cut these before Broadway. I found that the first act started a little slow, then really got going but just was maybe 10 minutes too long.
The second act was excellent, including an updated version of "Putting on the Ritz" that's definitely a show stopper. The ending has changed a bit, so be flexible.
The sets and lighting were excellent. They will definitely get Tony noms for these categories and I expect they'll win for the sets.
Two of the folks who went to the show with me have never seen the movie, so I was interested to hear that they thought the show was great and really were glad they came. I was smiling for almost the entire time and spent quite a bit of time laughing out loud. If you live in the NY area, I recommend getting tickets before the show opens there because I think that although there will be many comparisons to The Producers & Nathan & Matthew, this show stands up on its own.
Mel Brooks, I heart you.
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21 minutes ago
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Well, I just got back from seeing the first NYC preview. I was also at the first NYC preview of The Producers and I can't help but compare the two. Young Frankenstein had one huge moment (Puttin' on the Ritz); enormous audience reaction. The rest of the show was very enjoyable and I might even go to see it again.
The Producers first preview had at least 10 gigantic moments and uproarious laughter the whole night. By the end of the first act (90 minutes) the audience knew they were witnessing something incredibly special and it only got better with Act II. I mean this was an audience that gave several standing ovations during the show and stopped the show several times with prolonged applause during non-musical sections.
Added to the sheer genius of adapting this great, cult, movie to the Broadway stage it also featured incredible star turns by Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick and Gary Beach.
Last night was nothing like that. The only actor to get a decent ovation at the end was Andrea Martin who was very funny. Other than her, the only other outstanding performance was the production itself.
Roger Bart was Carmen Ghia and a part of that great night of The Producers and I'm sure he realizes how little these first nights had in common.
Thanks for the NYC update. I agree, but I think there are a lot of mitigating factors. Since the Producers was such a huge hit, I think that Young Frankenstein had a lot more pressure. All of us who had seen and enjoyed the Producers had very high expectations for Young Frankenstein before we walked in the door, whereas when we initially went to see the Producers, we didn't have such a high expectation.
One of the Seattle reviewers made a great point - I can quote all kinds of lines from Young Frankenstein...but none from the Producers. So, walking in, my memory of the flick is much higher than of the Producers. While I consider myself a huge Mel Brooks fan, I have always preferred the movie Young Frankestein to the (original) movie The Producers. That changes my expectations as well.
I think it was a no win situation for Mel Brooks 'n gang. I think that under the circumstances, they did a good job (not a great job). Puttin' on the Ritz was spectacular. The rest of it was very enjoyable.
I really appreciate hearing about how it was received in NY. My guess is that the papers won't totally blast it, but I think they won't be telling people to rush out and get their tix unless they're a big Mel Brooks fan.
I live in London, England, which means it could be Christmas 2009 before we get so much as a whiff of Young Frankenstein in the West End, but I’m poised, credit card in hand to buy tickets as soon as they go on sale. My brother and I bought tickets for The Producers nine months before it opened here and it was the most extraordinary night I’ve ever had in a theatre (we got to see Nathan Lane as Max Bialystock too – wow!)
I agree it’s difficult to separate the musical from the movie. For me, this was what made Spamalot so uneven: it wasn’t sure which audience it was for, those who’d come to see a musical or those who’d come to re-live the movie. The Producers was easier in a way (not because it was less well known, I’m a huge fan of the film) because Mel Brooks and Tom Meehan moved its setting from the late ’60s to the late ’50s and they were brave enough to jettison any material, no matter how good, that wouldn’t work as part of a musical, or just slowed things down, as well as writing some new, quite brilliant stuff to replace it.
I just hope Young Frankenstein doesn’t fall foul of London’s current craze for jukebox musicals (Jersey Boys and Desperately Seeking Susan are the latest examples opening here soon) which meant that The Drowsy Chaperone (which I thought was clever and original as well as being brilliantly funny) lasted just eight weeks!
I found your blog looking for reviews of Young Frankenstein. Thinking of buying tickets for my parents. It's my dad's favorite movie. He adored Madeline Kahn, but it's not as though we can bring her back from the dead.
So how cheap can I go with the tickets?
I saw this in NYC and have to say I agree with m, ost of what you said
(Well, apart from no one knowing who Christopher Fitzgerald is, but I think I just got that one because I'm a theatre person. He was Boq in the original Wicked)
I didn't see the film until after the musical so my opinions are quite different in regards to film versus stage.
It's always fascinating to see another persons opinions! This was a very interesting blog :)
I just found out that Andrea Martin is featured in the audio version of Seth Rudetsky's Broadway Nights!!! The audio version is fantastic and has recordings from other Broadway stars as well. This is a must-listen for all true fans. Check it out - http://www.logoonline.com/audible
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