Mel Brook’s
YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN
Buy Tickets
Weds 19th – Sat 22nd October 2022 at 7.45pm, Saturday matinee at 2.30pm
Tickets £19.50. Concessions £17.50 Weds, Thurs, and Sat Mat.
The Stevenage Lytton Players next musical!
From the creators of The Producers comes the celebrated West End Version of this monster musical comedy. Featuring slight revisions and enhancements made by the original Broadway creative team, Young Frankenstein (West End Version) is ready to shock your audience!
The grandson of the infamous Victor Frankenstein, Frederick Frankenstein (pronounced “Fronk-en-steen”) inherits his family’s estate in Transylvania. With the help of a hunchbacked sidekick, Igor (pronounced “Eye-gore”), and a leggy lab assistant, Inga (pronounced normally), Frederick finds himself in the mad scientist shoes of his ancestors. “It’s alive!” he exclaims as he brings to life a creature to rival his grandfather’s. Eventually, of course, the monster escapes and hilarity continuously abounds.
Production Team
Director David Slade
Musical Director Mike Payne
Choreographer Louise Edwards
Producer Ross Edwards
Show dates 19th to 22nd October, 2022.
Act One
At the medical school where he teaches, Dr. Frederick Frankenstein is ashamed to be a Frankenstein, insisting that his name be pronounced “Fronkensteen” and that he is not a madman like his grandfather but, rather, a scientist. He then lectures his students about the greatest mind of science (“The Brain”). After learning that he has inherited his grandfather’s castle in Transylvania, he is forced to resolve the issue of the property. As Elizabeth Benning, Frederick’s fiancée, sees him off, it is clear that their relationship is far from physical as Elizabeth enumerates all the lustful situations from which she is abstaining (“Please Don’t Touch Me”).
Arriving at Transylvania Heights, Frederick meets the hunchback, Igor, who is the grandson of Victor’s henchman. Igor tries to convince him to continue in his grandfather’s footsteps (“Together Again for the First Time”). He reveals that he has already hired the services of Inga, a yodeling lab assistant with a degree in Laboratory Science from the local community college.
The three join together and hop on a wagon. During the ride to the Castle Frankenstein, the doctor becomes more familiar with Inga (“Roll in the Hay”). When they reach the castle, they meet the very mysterious Frau Blucher. Later that night, he is awakened by Inga and, after some unique exploring, they find the secret entrance to his grandfather’s laboratory by following the sounds of eerie violin music.
They discover that the mysterious violin player is Frau Blucher, who tells of her past of festival games with the late Victor, for whom she was more than just a housekeeper
(“He Vas My Boyfriend”). After reviewing his grandfather’s notes, Frederick decides to carry on the experiments in the reanimation of the dead. (“It Could Work”). To do this, they dig up a huge corpse with “an enormous schwanstuker.” The villagers, meanwhile, gather at the local town hall with Inspector Kemp for a meeting and are very suspicious of Frederick (“Hang Him ‘Til He’s Dead”).
Frederick sends Igor to find a brain and entrusts him with the vital organ, but the henchman drops it, surreptitiously replacing the brain with another. Upon Igor’s return, Frederick carries out the experiment and brings the creature to life, who attacks Frederick and is then sedated. The doctor is distressed to find that Igor had provided a different brain.
Kemp and the townspeople come to investigate, pretending to welcome Frederick (“Welcome to Transylvania”). Frederick and his employees, however, try everything possible to stall the villagers as Frau Blucher frees the Monster without letting Frederick know (“Transylvania Mania”). Panic ensues as the monster breaks free from the stage and tramples through the house just as the curtain falls.
Act Two
Everyone is out to search for the Monster (“He’s Loose”). The doctor, who is visibly frustrated, is approached by Inga. She attempts to encourage the doctor and instill faith in him again (“Listen to Your Heart”). Elizabeth arrives unexpectedly in Transylvania with a large entourage and finds Frederick and a naked Inga (“Surprise”).
Elsewhere, the Monster finds a blind hermit named Harold after breaking through his house wall (“Please Send Me Someone”). After Harold accidentally pours hot soup into the Monster’s lap and lights his thumb on fire, the Monster is startled into another massive rampage and leaves. Frederick locks himself into a room with the Monster and, after overcoming his fears, he tells the Monster that he is a good looking fellow who is loved and will be hailed by all. He has won the Monster over.
The Monster is then presented at the Loews Transylvania Theatre, now dressed as a dapperly gentleman. He is walking on command and even dancing with some grace to Irving Berlin’s “Puttin’ on the Ritz.” While taking his bow, the Monster becomes terrified when a couple of stage lights explode. In the chaos, Elizabeth is kidnapped by the creature, taken to a cave.
In the cave, she sees a different side of the Monster (“Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life”). After an erotic encounter with the creature, Elizabeth has found what she has been yearning for in life (“Deep Love”). Luring the Monster back to the castle by the music of a French horn, Frederick attempts an intelligence transfer, but the Monster does not wake… and to make things worse, Inspector Kemp and the angry villagers – believing that Elizabeth has been killed by the Monster – break into the castle and bring Frederick to the gallows and hang him (“Hang The Doctor”).
The Monster returns, not only able to speak articulately but also using his newly transferred medical skills to discover that Frederick is not dead, but merely unconscious, and that he is able to bring him back to life. Just as the crowd is about to rehang Frederick and the Monster, Elizabeth arrives. After a hopeful plot twist, the Monster proposes to Elizabeth (“Deep Love – Reprise/Finale”). Then, the blind Hermit’s voice is heard singing; Frau Blucher announces she has a “blind date” with him.
Igor proceeds to proclaim a false miracle, saying that his hump is gone… but then quickly realizes that it has just moved. Frederick declares Transylvania to be his home, and that he will be staying with Inga and the rest. All in all, our characters are happily together and the town celebrates. It is a happy ending that is sure to bring laughter and love for all (“Finale – Together Again”).
Kommentare