This musical has been playing at Broadway’s Hilton Theatre since last November. On a recent Saturday matinee, this rather large (1800 seats) theatre seemed to be at capacity. The crowd, which I suspect was comprised mostly of tourists, was quite appreciative and enthusiastic.
The story of Young Frankenstein is familiar to anyone who has seen the Mel Brooks movie. In Transylvania in 1934, old Dr. Frankenstein has died. His grandson, Dr. Frederick Frankenstein is a medical school professor in New York. He leaves his fiancee, Elizabeth (Megan Mullally) to travel to Transylvania. He then, of course, decides to continue the family business.
As with any show playing on Broadway, the cast is extremely talented. However, I felt that Young Frankenstein lacked excitement. Maybe it’s because there were no surprises. I’ve heard all these jokes before and the songs, though cute and clever, were just not that fabulous. Megan Mullally is obviously the draw, but her part is fairly small. And while she is on stage, her talent and presence blow everyone else away. S0-this is not a great show, and I think Broadway ticket prices are just too high for a production that is just OK. So-rent the movie and have a good laugh.
La Bibliofille 