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Week Of August 27, 2007 - Mon / Wed / Fri
August 29, 2007
Young Frankenstein - Detailed Notes
ALL SPOILERS!!!This is the follow-up to Monday's spoiler-free review column on Young Frankenstein, now out-of-towning in Seattle. Don't read a word if you want to maintain a show surprise, though most of it is set by the movie we all know so well.
ACT ONE
Scene 1: A Village In Transylvania, 1934
"Frankenstein Is Dead, The Happiest Town In Town"Note: Really simple ... cut it.
With due respect to "It's The Worst Show In Town," which opened The Producers so effectively, there is no narrative need for this piece of Transylvania set-up here. In fact, it devalues the arrival in Transylvania three scenes later.
The story here is, "Man rejects past, man is confronted by past, man is seduced by past, man embraces past and moves forward." You don't start with the past that the man is going to be chased by ... you start with the man.
Scene 2: Medical School, New York City
"There's Nothing Like A Brain"The show should open with the scene that opens this song. Three chorus "doctors" against a black scrim with medical writing on it, blocking Dr. Frankenstein. He gets his entrance, the scrim comes up, a NY medical school comes to life with visual style as the scene plays and Roger Bart gets the front and center slot he deserves, not a blur from a Transylvanian chorus number.
The gag after the number, with the telegram guy and the name pronunciation, really doesn't work. "Oh no!/Oh yes!" does. But the pronunciation gag, like some others from the film, need to be streamlined. If they are for the fan audience, the fans will know. If it's for a wider audience, good structure is good structure.
Scene 3: Hudson River, Pier 57
"Please Don't Touch Me"Frankenstein is heading to Transylvania and his fiancé, Elizabeth, enters the show. Megan Mullally brings down the house by walking on the stage. And she handicaps Elizabeth by 20% by using a lockjaw New England accent that never sounds right. She also sings in the voice, which is disastrous. It makes a sexy woman into a quirky Margaret Dumont.
There might be two reasons for this voice. 1) Someone thinks it better approximates Madeleine Kahn's performance or 2) Mullally is trying to avoid any Karen-like notes. Both notions are wrong headed.
Aside from that, it's a terrific song. But this is the first time we get a very personal song nearly ruined by a big chorus section jumping in. The audience loves these characters and there is simply no need for an entire chorus line to sing and dance along. It's not "Don't Touch Us," it's "Don't Touch ME." The one great touch by the dancers is the boat gangplank being spun as Elizabeth finishes the number, but I think that could easily be gotten around.
Scene 4: A Railroad Station in Transylvania
"Together Again For The First Time"Another great piece of scenic work with the train arriving at the Transylvania Station and a beautiful stone wall. (Did Brooks record the shoeshine boy's dialogue?")
A third showstopper in the first act (if "Please Don't Touch Me" is cleaned up), this time led by Igor, eventually teaming up with The Doctor. It's a great idea for a song – reminiscent in style and function of "Bosom Buddies" from Mame, "Brush Up Your Shakespeare" from Kiss Me Kate and "You Can Count On Me" from On The Town - and Christopher Fitzgerald kills ... and the Roger Bart tops it, adding more to his maniac-underneath characterization, and then Fitzgerald tops it again. Pretty close to perfection, including the refrain.
Scene 5: A Hay Wagon
"Roll In The Hay"Probably the best number in the show overall. Great visual look for the hayride through the night, terrific memorable song, a great performance by Sutton Foster, and tremendous support by Bart and Fitzgerald. The only mistake is the bad werewolf gag, which gets no better when repeated later in the show. The song and performances are sexy, but not raunchy, energetic, character building, and creative at every turn, including the kinda-dancing horses.
Scene 6: Castle Frankenstein
No song ... just the scene basically taken word for word from the movie. If they could make it work, Fitzgerald could do more acrobatics on the door knockers and bring down the house. But still, it all works just as it is. As memorable as it was 30 years ago.
Scene 7: The Grand Hall Of Castle Frankenstein
"Join The Family Business"This should be a topper, but it isn't. Why? Again, a chorus number that should be a character piece. It's easily fixed, but it really needs to be fixed.
The premise is that Frederick Fankenstein's ancestors haunt the castle and come to him in his sleep to draw him back into the family business. Great! The song is launched by Victor Von F. and it's good, not Brooks' best lyrics. Then, the room fills with white haired "ancestors," nurses, and nurse bimbos. Thing is, as soon as that happens, the "family" is nothing but a blur.
Without changing a word of the song, the bit could be improved simply by making the chorus composition one doctor, one hunchback, and one beauty ... the basic group that Frankensteins seem to run in. Even better, if Brooks and Meehan could build out Grandfather Victor (already there), Great Grandfather Whomever, and Great Great Grandfather X, we now have a real family and if each elder statesman had a specific character turn, it could be great.
As is, the lyric "Join the family business" sticks, but the rest not so much.
The piece closes smartly with a giant puppet monster, which some have compared to Fiddler on the Roof, but which reminds me a lot more of Margaret Thatcher in London's smash, Billy Elliot. Still, great idea. The rest needs work.
Scene 8: The Laboratory
"He Vas My Boyfriend"First, this is our first look at the amazing laboratory set ... wow! Besides lots of 3-dimenional glory, keep an eye out for the moon, which is always on the move. Another great piece of design, though the cynical might assume it's too obvious.
Strong idea for a song, picking up on one of the classic lines from the film. But Brooks & Meehan make the mistake of double dipping. If you remember from the film, there is the inference then the harsh strokes on the violin by The Frau and then the exclamation, "He was my boyfriend!" Here, they have a strong song ... but still play the entire scene from the film, including the punchline. Save it for the song. It does the trick. This is one of a few examples of double dipping and it is just so unnecessary.
I expressed some questions about Andrea Martin's performance in Monday's column, but to further it, assuming she sticks, she needs to let it a little looser with this performance. She seems to be channeling Kahn's style more than Leachman's bizarre kink in the role. It is the difference between Martin and Leachman as comic actors in general as well. It's easy to imagine, say, Martin doing Leachman's cone breasted nurse from High Anxiety as well ... but it could never be as out-and-out dirty as Leachman's.
Still, the Cabaret-tinted song is strong and Stroman's direction is impeccable.
Scene 9: The Town Hall
"The Law"It's ok. It gets laughs. But a shoulder shrugger.
Scene 10: The Laboratory
"Life, Life"Cut it, cut it!
Like the scene getting to the castle, the show would do so well here, in the scene in which Frederick tries to bring the Monster to life, to just stick with the movie and the already very dramatic scoring. The song is not only impossible to hear amongst the effects, but reeks - in the worst way - of Les Mis and bad Lloyd Webber. YECH! And it isn't even self-conscious of how bad it is.
The fear that might be stopping Brooks & Co from dumping this weak sister of a song is that we follow it with a fair amount of non-singing schtick. If I were going to add a song, this is where I would do a monster soliloquy that no one else can hear. "Mr. Cellophane" for the bolt necked set.
Also, the pantomimed "sedative" bit doesn't really work on stage. The literal image of the Monster choking Frederick doesn't quite work. It's as though Brooks & Meehan need to find the charades clues that are new and that the audience can play along with, rather than just recall the glory of the movie.
Scene 11: The Courtyard of Castle Frankenstein
"Welcome to Transylvania"Fine chorus only number. Needed dramatically. Not overly exciting, but fine.
"Transylvania Mania"
This is an Igor led number that starts when the monster is moaning inside the castle and drawing suspicion. And finally, a number in which the chorus comes to play and is completely welcome to a big dance number.
My only problem with it is at the end, which is also the Act One curtain. The gag is that after all this singing and dancing, in a Cab Calloway call and answer of moans, the Monster busts down the front door of the castle and havoc ensues.
Here is my suggestion ...
It is a call and answer song. The Monster is misunderstood. Shouldn't the song lead to the Monster opening the front door, watching the dancing, enjoying it, and ending up doing a call and answer with Inspector Kemp until Kemp notices he is singing and dancing around a 7 ft tall green monster?
It would end the act on a laugh as the curtain could fall just as everyone starts to scramble. Much cleaner, if I say so myself.
ACT TWO
Scene 1: The Forrest
"He's Loose"Another functional number. Not too exciting. But a necessity.
That said, the scenic design on this is spectacular, as the trees in the forest, always shrouded in fog, become a part of the chase. Beautiful.
Scene 2: The Laboratory
"Listen To Your Heart"Inga's second big number, she and Frederick are inexplicable in different clothes than in the first act closer ... other than it puts Sutton Foster in a slinky white slip dress that will show off her dance panties over and over ... so, not so bad, really.
The lyrics for this one are not Brooks' strongest, though the idea - "Let's stop thinking and screw ourselves to clarity" - works for the show. Fortunately, Foster is a real showstopper herself and some of the musical twists are a great deal of fun, particularly the beating heart. And the choreography of the couple first getting entwined is wonderful.
It's not quite the thrilling surprise of "That Face" in The Producers, but it's quite good.
"Surprise"
Megan Mullally's return to the show as Elizabeth, as she shows up at Castle Frankenstein unexpected as her finance is up in the rafters.
The idea and performance of the song is terrific ... but the bit goes on too long for its own good. Elizabeth's introduction of her crew is a dead steal from the "Keep It Gay" crowd from The Producers ... but not nearly as funny, since they don't have any point of view as characters. But everything that involves Igor, the Frau, and Elizabeth sparkles. Thin it out!
Scene 3: A Remote Cottage in the Forrest
"Please Send Me Someone"The whole scene is almost identical to the film. But Fred Applegate as the Hermit (Blind) is terrific and this song ends up being much more engaging that it feels like it's going to be when he starts.
Scene 4: The Dungeon of Castle Frankestein
"Man About Town"This whole scene, taken directly from the film until Roger Bart starts singing, is one of the least successful transfers. It's also one of the spots where the feel of imitating Gene Wilder overwhelms Bart's otherwise nuanced performance. And worse, it is a foreshadow of the next song, which all Young Frankenstein fans will recall.
On top of all that, the staging is a little awkward - like the sedative pantomime. Establishing the doctor' panic is very hard when the monster's chains - which are great in and of themselves - are not clearly loose or tight or whatever. I would suggest cutting the gag down to one round of "open up," as the Monster sheds all his chains at once. And then, the song.
I would love to hear a different song here that doesn't foreshadow the next number. Reference Rocky Horror's "I Will Make You A Man."
Scene 5: A Theater in Transylvania
"Putting On The Ritz"Like "Spingtime For Hitler" in The Producers, this is the one people come into the theater humming. Brooks can't lose. All he needs to do is to take it one level up and the audience will be buzzing like crazy.
And when he adds Igor, Inga, and the Frau to the mix, he has done that.
And he and Stroman take it even one level better with a shadow dance that is a lovely, unexpected twist.
What doesn't work - and you can't get this from listening to a crazed audience - is the chorus full of Frankensteins. With due respect, the flashing light that frames the images of the leaping Franks is cool ... but it's cheap gimmick.
We are in the Monster's story, not a chorus of dancers with big shoes. It's elaborate without adding meaning to the storytelling. More importantly, we LOVE the leads and are thrilled to experience this show with them. We don't need the number to be uber-large just for the sake of it. Or as a wise man once said to me, "Take 'yes' for an answer, Mel!"
Scene 6: A Cave in The Forrest
"Deep Love"Elizabeth's second showstopper.
As the show progresses from here, there is a bit of a story tangle as the Monster is lured away by Igor's horn or the Frau's violin or whatever and the idea that Elizabeth is missing feels like a game.
There is really no reason why this song should not be a soliloquy. The Monster still can't speak/sing. And the song is not sung to him, it is a reverie. Moreover, we have to double dip on this set to get the Monster and Elizabeth to have sex, leading to "Sweet Mystery of Life," as in the movie, then have the villagers come through again, then the song, then the exit.
My suggestion is to do the arrival of the couple and the sex, then a quick villager visit, then the monster runs off, leaving Elizabeth alone. And now, Mullally can confide to the audience that she has finally found her Deep Love. Working to us instead of the Monster cannot help but kill. And then, she can take a nap, which creates a more natural time bridge of her being missing.
But this is one of the songs everyone will be buzzing about.
Scene 7: The Laboratory
It's a little clunky as a stage scene, but it's necessary.
Scene 8: The Village Square
We're heading for the home stretch now.
"Frederick's Soliloquy" sucks almost as bad as "Life, Life." It needs to be dumped for a rousing refrain of "I've Joined The Family Business" as he is heading to the gallows.
I would consider dumping Frederick actually being hanged, perhaps replaced by the Monster holding him up from under the gallows or something like that. He can still "talk like Noel Coward" to the villagers ... or perhaps even better, take a chorus of "Join The Family Business" for himself.
The show then essentially ends ... again another opportunity for a fix for something the audience is okay with. If they moved the line that closes the movie between Inga and Frederick a bit earlier, it would make great sense for the foursome to close with a group version of "Deep Love," along with an Igor bit about his hump or some such joke.
This would also give the show some kind of song closer.
The alternative would be a whole new song to close the show. It needs something. The audience goes wild, but the reality is that it is weird for a musical to end without a song. And the "Finale Ultimo" is nice, but feels like what it is ... a curtain call. Ironcially, Transylvania Mania is also a curtain call number and I wouldn't be shocked to find that the first act closer was once slated to close the show.
All in all, a terrific show that has too much chorus work that has no resonance and too much length. But it's very close.
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