Young Frankenstein (a review)

By Adam Distler
A&E Editor

Usually I’m not the Broadway type, but for Mel Brook’s musical adaptation of Young Frankenstein, I would definitely make an exception. Being raised on this movie, (my parents force fed me), I was a bit skeptical about its portrayal with big musical numbers and choreography. Maybe I was a bit skeptical because I could not envision the characters of Igor and Frau Blucher singing and dancing.

I really should have instinctively trusted Mel Brooks; after all, he has been musically capable of such triumphs in the past, like with History of the World: Part 1 and Robin Hood: Men in Tights. What I sat through was the funniest and, of course, cheekiest three hours of my life.

Midway through the first half, I was surprised to see none other than Megan Mullally, who played Karen Walker on Will & Grace, playing the role of Dr. Frankenstein’s fiancé. Although I liked the sight of her taking presence on the stage, I was bit concerned on how she would portray the role of her predecessor, the legendary Madeline Kahn, who is my favorite actress. Mullally not only eased into Kahn’s role of the fiancé, but she delivered it with tact and spiced it up with a bit of “Karen.” Some might find this to be a bit bittersweet, but I’m finding it more sweet. After all, Dr. Frankenstein’s fiancé and Karen are both parodies of New York’s wealthy, espoused socialites.

What can I say about this play? The musical barely deviated from the film; I found that the only times it did to be mild improvements to the plot line. The only distracting bit was right at the end. In the midst of the huge final number, Dracula pays a surprise visit to the stage. I wasn’t entirely sure: was it random or just part of a Mel Brooks-styled slapstick humor? There is only one way to find out for yourself; the price is hefty, but save up for this smashing time while it lasts.