| Puttin' On The Hits |
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| Written by Mark Rifkin, Contributing Editor | |
Young Frankensteinproduced by Mel Brooksdirected by Susan Stroman starring Roger Bart, Andrea Martin, Shuler Hensley, Sutton Foster Hilton Theatre 213 West 42nd St 212-556-4750 hiltontheatre.com youngfrankensteinthemusical.com  Shuler Hensley and Roger Bart put on the Ritz in Young Frankenstein  Young Frankenstein comes alive at the Hilton Theatre on Broadway Roger Bart, who was nominated for a Tony as Carmen Ghia in "The Producers," plays the Frederick Frankenstein role made famous by Wilder, but he lacks vocal power. The songs are mostly average at best, there is barely a thrilling choreographic move, there are far too many (and often too brief) set changes, and the supporting cast--save for a brilliant turn by Andrea Martin, who steals the show as (cue horses) Frau Blücher--does its job, but without much oomph. But even with all that, the new Mel Brooks musical "Young Frankenstein" is extremely likable, filled with an uplifting spirit and cool special effects. Brooks cherry-picks gags from the film, leaving some in (“What knockers!”) and many out (what, no scalpel in the thigh?), so the less you remember about the movie the better. When Victor Frankenstein dies, his only living relative, Frederick Frankenstein, is summoned to Transylvania to inherit Victor’s estate. Although he is determined not to follow in the family business, he is soon constructing a creature (Shuler Hensley) out of a dug-up corpse and an abby normal brain. He is helped by Igor (Christopher “What hump?” Fitzgerald), the very sexy Inga (Sutton “Roll in the Hay” Foster), and Frau (“Ovaltine”) Blücher while Inspector Kemp (Fred Applegate, who also plays the blind hermit) and the local townspeople suspect he is up to no good and Frankenstein’s fiancée, Elizabeth (a far-too-over-the-top Megan Mullally), won’t let him touch her. The musical shines whenever SCTV alum Martin is onstage, the scene in which the monster comes to life is cheesy and exciting, and the “Puttin’ on the Ritz” number is appropriately glitzy and spectacular--but alas, it’s the only number that will stay with you after the show. Still, Young Frankenstein is a fun night at the theater. |
