Young Frankenstein - The Musical

YF TM rolled through Big D this month, with a three week stint at the most excellent of venues, the brand new Winspear Opera House. That place is freaking awesome. In some sort of weird O. Henry moment, I secretly bought two tickets for the missus and myself for Christmas; and she unbenknownst to moi, reciprocated. So we had four tickets for two different shows.

The play, for the most part, followed the 1974 movie script. It was very well done and thoroughly enjoyable but there is no stage actor who could properly do justice to Gene Wilder, Peter Boyle, Cloris Leachman and the inimitable, irascible Marty Feldman. That said, the actors who played Igor, Frau Blucher, Inspector Kemp / The Hermit and Inga were in top form. The sets, the effects and most of the musical numbers were very good.

All of great memorable lines were there, many audience members in convulsions even before they were spoken:

- Werewolf? There Wolf. There castle.
- Frau Blucher (Neigh)
- Put the candle back
- A glass of varm milk, perhaps?
- Stay close to the candle, these stairs can be quite treacherous
- What hump?

One low point: at intermission, some hayseed behind us referred to Gene Wilder as Gene Simmons. Sweet Lord, stay at home, rube.

There is no way the Mel Brooks play could live up to the Mel Brooks movie. The screen version is # 13 on the American Film Institute's Funniest American Movies. # 6is Blazing Saddles. Can you imagine that on Broadway? "Mongo pawn in game of life".

We have yet to see the stage adaptation of the The Producers (supposed to be great) and Spamalot got positive reviews as well.

And the extra pair if tickets you ask? Fiona and her friend Taylor went to the Sunday matinee. I stayed home and enjoyed the J.E.T.S.