Tony Tuesday: YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN

Written by comedy legend Mel Brooks with Thomas Meehan (the same team who brought us The Producers), Young Frankenstein is a musical based on the 1974 comedy film of the same name ,written by Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder, which Brooks also directed.

The story is a parody of the horror film genre, in particular the 1931 Universal Pictures adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and its sequels, Bride of Frankenstein (1935) and Son of Frankenstein (1939).

The production is set in 1934, in the village of Transylvania Heights, at the funeral of the mad scientist Dr. Victor von Frankenstein. In New York ,his grandson Frederick Frankenstein (who insists his name is pronounced ‘Fronkensteen’), embarrassed by his family name, is trying to prove that he is a scientist, not a madman to his students. He learns he has inherited his Grandfather’s castle and travels to Transylvania to resolve issues with the property.

Once inside the castle, Frederick falls asleep and dreams that his Grandfather encourages him to build a monster. On awakening, he finds the secret entrance to his Grandfather’s laboratory. Frederick decides to carry on the experiments of his Grandfather and creates a creature who goes on a violent rampage shortly after waking.

The town searches for the monster whilst the monster has found shelter with a blind hermit called Harold. Frederick’s fiancée, Elizabeth, is then kidnapped by the monster and the angry villagers believe he has killed her. The monster returns to the castle to save Frederick, who has been led to the gallows by the villagers, and proposes to Elizabeth who now sports a Bride of Frankenstein hairdo. 

Musical numbers include ‘Roll in the Hay’, ‘He Vas My Boyfriend’ and ‘Puttin’ On the Ritz’. 

The musical first opened on Broadway on 8 November 2007 after four weeks of previews. It closed on 4 January 2009 after 484 performances and embarked on a US tour on 29 September of the same year.

The original cast included Roger Bart as Frederick Frankenstein, Sutton Foster as Inga, Christopher Fitzgerald as Igor, Shuler Hensley as The Monster, Andrea Martin as Frau Blucher and Megan Mullally as Elizabeth.

A revised version opened in London’s West End at the Garrick Theatre on 10 October 2017 after previews at the Theatre Royal, Newcastle, with Hadley Fraser as Frederick Frankenstein, Summer Strallen as Inga, Ross Noble as Igor, Lesley Joseph as Frau Blucher and Dianne Pilkington as Elizabeth.

A UK tour of the musical was planned for September 2019 after it closed in the West End, but to date has not happened. 

Watch this space Besties, and we’ll keep you informed of any progress!

FACTS:

Music: Mel Brooks

Lyrics: Mel Brooks

Book: Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan

Basis: Young Frankenstein by Gene Wilder and Mel Brooks

Theatre: Lyric Theatre (then the Hilton Theatre), Broadway

Run:  8 November 2007 – 29 September 2009

TONYS:

(2008) NOMINATED: Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical (Christopher Fitzgerald), Best Performance by a Features Actress in a Musical (Andrea Martin) and Best Scenic Design in a Musical (Robin Wagner).

Trailer from the London West End Production of Young Frankenstein: