Review: YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN at Bellevue Little Theatre is Freakishly Fun!

I was prepared to dislike Bellevue Little Theatre’s production of the Mel Brooks musical YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN. Instead, I was swept away. It’s naughty. It’s silly. And it’s totally fun.

Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan based the book on the 1974 film written by Gene Wilder and Brooks. Brooks also wrote the music and some really clever lyrics to this parody of the horror film genre. The musical opened on Broadway in November 2007 and closed in 2009. Although met with mixed reviews, it was nominated for several Tony Awards and Drama Desk Awards, but only won Best Musical for the Outer Critics Circle Award in 2008.

The story mirrors the film. Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (Adam Fulbright) inherits his grandfather’s Transylvania castle and leaves his socialite fiancee Elizabeth (Chloe Rosman) to wrap up his estate. He has no intention of following in his grandfather’s footsteps, but somehow is drawn into the family business and a relationship with his beautiful yodeling lab assistant Inga (Hannah Post). His faithful assistant Igor (Donovan Carr), who sports a hump on his back that tends to move position, and the mysterious Frau Blucher (Debbie Cline), whose very name causes horses to whinny, meet him at the castle. Soon Dr. Frankenstein finds himself obsessed with reanimating dead tissue, creating a monster with a large body and a small smooth brain. Inspector Kemp (John Arnsdorff), who paid an arm and a leg to replace his severed arm and leg, warns the townspeople that a Frankenstein has returned to the village. Village idiot Ziggy (Evan Wohlers) insists no doctor from New York would ever come to their town. Blind hermit (John Morrissey) may be the only friend Frankenstein’s monster has, but scares the monster off by serving him soup.

Todd Uhrmacher does an impressive job directing this production. There are many creative choices in the staging and the timing of the actors. Then again, it helps when you have a stellar cast.

The leads couldn’t be more perfect.  Not only do they have excellent voices, they are masters of making something funny without overdoing it. Some of the funniest numbers are Rosman’s rendition of “Please Don’t Touch Me,” and Cline’s “He Vas My Boyfriend.”

Music director D Laureen Pickle’s 8 piece orchestra adds so much to the production with a full rich sound. Live music located in the pit within the stage makes them more a part of the show with actors moving all around the musicians.

Scenic designer Joey Lorincz uses every available space, adding projections in the back, walls that move, and furniture that is smoothly rolled on and off without distracting from the action.

Leah Skorupa-Mezger’s costumes are simply beautiful. They are colorful, bright, and very appealing. The spider brooch on Frau Blucher’s blouse is a nice touch.

Big numbers, such as the tap piece in “Puttin’ on the Ritz” and “Transylvania Mania”, are wonderfully choreographed by Debbie Massey-Schneweis.

I wouldn’t recommend this show to children. The sexual innuendos run fast and loose. But if you want to spend an evening losing yourself in ridiculous fun, this is the place.

YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN runs through September 29: 7:30 pm on Fridays and Saturdays, 2:00 pm on Sunday. Tickets are available at blt.simpletix.com or by calling the box office at (402) 291-1554.

Photo Credit: Analisa Louise Photography

To post a comment, you must register and login.