**** Highly Recommended Mel Brooks’ hilarious musical, Young Frankenstein, has returned to Chicago. You can catch the kids from Transylvania cavorting on the stage at Mercury Theater Chicago through December 31st. If the 1974 movie starring Gene Wilder and Peter Boyle made you laugh, you’ll love the musical adaptation. You don’t want to miss this production, it’s hilarious, in large part because Sean Fortunato is brilliant as the young doc. 4 BIG Spotlights
With comedic genius Mel Brooks responsible for this adaptation, you can expect lots and lots of throwaway lines and pratfalls. Brooks and Thomas Meehan wrote the book, Brooks the music and lyrics. This production is directed by L. Walter Stearns. Music direction by Eugene Dizon, choreography by Brenda Didier.
Kudos to Mercury’s scenic designer, Bob Knuth. There are a lot of scene changes in Young Frankenstein, which meant Knuth had to figure out how to fit everything on Mercury’s extra small stage. He did a brilliant job!
The show opens as Dr. Fredrick Frankenstein (Fortunato) is teaching a class at New York’s finest medical school, Johns, Miriam and Anthony Hopkins School of Medicine. Doctor F. has spent his whole life ignoring his infamous grandfather. In fact, he pronounces his name “Fronkensteen”. I loved the clever lyrics in Frederick’s wistful song about The Brain.
Meanwhile, somewhere in Transylvania, villagers are celebrating around the open grave of Dr. von Frankenstein. Inspector Kemp (Jonah D. Winston), whose wooden right arm and left leg are good for multiple sight gags, ruins the moment with news that Victor had a grandson.
When Frederick learns that his grandfather has died, he decides to go to Transylvania to settle the estate and sell the castle. His girlfriend, Elizabeth Benning (Lillian Castillo), a rich socialite, won’t even kiss him goodbye, singing Please Don’t Touch Me.
Arriving in Transylvania, Frederick meets Igor (Ryan Stajmiger), who has already hired Inga (Isabella Andrews) as a lab assistant for him. Seeing blond, Swedish Inga is déjà vu to anyone who’s seen another Brooks musical, The Producers.
At the castle, odd things keep happening – like Igor’s (pronounced Eye-gore) hump moving from side to side; horses that whinny whenever anyone says the name of the strange housekeeper, Frau Blucher (Mary Robin Roth), who brings down the house with her bawdy tribute to Victor, He Vas My Boyfriend.
Once Frederick and Inga figure out how to get through a bookcase/wall that can only be opened with a candlestick, they find Victor’s lab. After reading Victor’s journals, he decided to duplicate his experiments. Of course, since he assigned the task of obtaining the most brilliant brain in Transylvania to Igor, he has a problem or two.
The Monster (Andrew MacNaughton) comes to life just in time to scare the suspicious villagers in spite of the efforts of Fredrick, Igor and Inga to divert them – and Inspector Kemp – with a song and dance, Transylvania Mania.
Since this is a Mel Brooks creation, you can expect lots of sight gags, pratfalls, and imported bits, lines – even songs – from other shows.
In one funny interlude, the escaped Monster finds refuge with a blind Hermit (Samuel Shankman) who craves company. Trying to be a good host, he moves the chair just as the Monster tries to sit. He pours hot tea into the Monster’s lap instead of the cup, then actually gets the refill in the cup, but then smashes the cup while toasting his guest.
In another, Elizabeth arrives in Transylvania singing Surprise, just as Fredrick and Inga get it on. Feeling betrayed, she runs into the forest where she meets – and falls for The Monster.
The signature moment (and my absolute favorite) of the show occurs when Fredrick, in top hat and tails, introduces The Monster, also in top hat and tails to the village. Their dance routine – and The Monster’s rendition of the chorus - put an entirely new spin to Irving Berlin’s 1928 song, Puttin’ on the Ritz.
The Young Frankenstein ensemble – passengers, students, villagers, chorus of monsters, etc. - includes Time Brickey, Holden Davenport, Katie Engler, Mai Hartwich, Natalie Henry, Callan Roberts, Sam Shankman and Kayla Marie Shipman.
Young Frankenstein runs through December 31st at Mercury Theater Chicago, 3745 N. Southport, Chicago. Parking is difficult to find in this neighborhood, so I suggest using one of the parking apps.
Running time is approximately 2 hours with an intermission. Performances are Wednesday through Friday at 7:30 pm, Saturday at 2:30 & 7:30 pm, Sunday at 2:30 pm. Tickets range from $39-$85. FYI www.mercurytheaterchicago.com.