Theater review / It’s alive!!! Young Frankenstein, A fabulous production

By Joanna Brady

Alive, indeed—and lively! This one will have you laughing out loud from the get-go. Young Frenkenstein, the musical—now playing at the Waterfront Playhouse—is based on the highly successful 1974 comedy film of the same name, written by Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder. The movie was directed by Brooks, who has described it as his best film.

Young Frankenstein  is a parody of the horror film genre, especially the 1931 Universal Pictures adaptation of Mary Shelley‘s 1818 novel, Frankenstein. The musical opened on Broadway November 8, 2007.

This play, with its commendable production values, is a praiseworthy showcase for what Key West players are capable of; not only in acting, but in choreography, singing, and music. Not to mention its extraordinary qualities of stagecraft.

Right from the beginning, the play is fun. Mad scientist Victor Frankenstein of Transylvania has died and the heir to his fiendish lab creations is announced: His grandson, Frederick Frankenstein, an anatomy professor in New York (Alan Gillespie). The grandson arrives to settle the estate, resisting urgings from mad assistant Igor to carry on with his grandfather’s experiments. From a stolen body and a brain (from someone named Abbey Normal), a monster is born (Ross Pipkin).

The song and dance ensemble is terrific, featuring Mathias Maloff –a great character actor who is always hilarious—D.J. Mills, Halley Daigle, Jackie Madejski, Lauren Thompson, and especially Braeden Garrett (Can that guy dance!) who also plays the ghost of Victor Frenkenstein, exhorting his grandson to carry on his work.

The song and dance numbers are all entertaining, but I particularly enjoyed “Join the Family Business”; Belle Jampol is great as lab assistant ingénue, Inga, in “Roll in the Hay” in which she warbles a creditable yodel. Kristen Michelle is delightful as Elizabeth, the grandson’s fiancée. As always, Marjorie Paul-Shook turns in a first-rate performance as the formidable Frau Blucher (she whose very name scares horses). A talented actress, Paul-Shook is particularly comedic when she sings and vamps to “He vas my boyfriend.”

The casting couldn’t have been better. Alan Gillespie excels as the title character, belting out several good songs along with his fancy footwork. And Jeffrey Harwell is his perfect foil, playing the gnome-like Igor who can’t make up his mind which side of his back the hump should go. Jack Agnew makes a wonderful blind hermit, and the song he sings “Please Send Me someone” is beautifully sung, setting up one of the funniest scenes in modern comedy as he is visited by the monster, serving him hot soup and giving him a cigar. The night I was in attendance, the audience really appreciated the visual gags in this scene, funnies that never seem to get tired.

Ross Pipkin, as you’d expect, steals the show as the monster (oh, those thick shoes!) The song and dance act in his tux and top hat with Alan Gillespie and the ensemble in “Puttin’ on the Ritz” will bring tears of laughter to your eyes. Yes, it’s that funny. When his brain later gets cross-wired to the doctor’s, his monster grunting disappears and he speaks intelligibly and authoritatively in the Queen’s English.

Tom Thayer has done  superb work directing this play and assisting in the choreography—along with Penny Leto and Carolyn Cooper, who have done an outstanding job. And the ever creative Michael Boyer has outdone himself with the amazing set design of Frankenstein’s castle. An astonishing talent.

Last but not least, the musical group is directed by Michael Fauss, and features Fauss on piano, Nancy 3.Hoffman on keyboard, Gary Rivenson on bass, Donna DeForrest on reeds, and Ken Swinkin on drums.

The play Young Frankenstein is different from the movie. There are more musical numbers, more action, more fun—and it’s colorful, which gives it more life than Brooks’ 1974 black and white movie. This play is well worth seeing. You’ll head home laughing.

Young Frankenstein runs thru March 23. Visit WaterfrontPlayhouse.org or call 305 294-5015. Curtain times all at 8:00 pm; one 15-minute intermission.

(Joanna Brady is a local writer, author of the historical novel of Key West, The Woman at the Light, published by St. Martin’s Press)

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