JADAR

★★★★★

Based on the 1974 cult-classic, Young Frankenstein: The Musical digs up its predecessor’s propensity for tongue-in-cheek humour, parodical tone, and whimsical gags, amplifying it with hilariously quippy tunes and electrifying performances. It’s A-live-ly musical with shocking twists and amusing, corny routines to sink your teeth into.

Frankenstein’s influence in pop-culture dates back to Mary Shelley’s chilling 1818 novel, where an egotistical scientist is consumed with dreams of godhood, dreaming of creating new life from decaying corpses. Since then, numerous adaptations have revitalised the character from the 1910 silent movie, to countless plays and modern reinterpretations including an upcoming Guillermo Del Toro flick. The most influential was undoubtedly Boris Karloff’s in the 1931 Frankenstein film, repainting the monster as a bumbling green maniac, fumbling around, murdering villagers. Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein takes inspiration from our pop-culture knowledge, using horror tropes and the creature’s traits to create a fresh and light-hearted “what if” sequel.

In the aftermath of the creature’s rampage, Victor Frankenstein’s grandson, Frederick Frankenstein (pronounced “Fronk-en-steen” to distance himself from Victor’s infamous mistakes), is forced to return to Transylvania after inheriting the family estate. Despite his reservations, Frederick (Ore Oduba) is soon thrust into his grandfather’s shoes, exploring the boundaries of life and death with the aid of the hunched-back Igor (Curtis Patrick), his chirpy, flirtatious “lab-assistant”, Inga (Julie Yammanee), and spooky house-keeper, Frau Blücher (Jessica Martin). Will Frederick succeed? Will the villagers be able to accept such a creature? Or will it end in disaster as it did for Victor all them years ago? 

After the success of The Producers, Mel Brooks reunited with Thomas Mehan to adapt the piece to stage. This culminated in a lavish Broadway debut in 2007 before a toned-down production surged through the West End a full ten years later, and now the current production (and regional premiere) at Hope Mill Theatre, which will then transfer to Liverpool Playhouse Theatre.

Sophia Pardon’s set is a simple metal-slabbed structure, nuts and bolts protruding from the laboratory’s dingy walls. Paired with a few roll-on props and Matt Powell’s projected video designs, and Aaron J Dootson’s lighting, the set is transformed into dank woodlands, mysterious castles, university classrooms, quaint huts, and eerie prison cells. I particularly enjoyed its use in the opening and closing “credits” (a crafty nod to its movie counterpart), as well as the absurdity of the PNG horses and werewolves bobbing around in the forest horse and carriage scene. It’s a surprisingly flexible space, neatly utilising Hope Mill’s intimate staging without any overcramming.

Costumes were carefully curated by Lorraine Perry from the villager’s quirky lederhosen and Igor’s enveloping black cloak (moveable hump to boot), to Frederick’s green tweed suit. WHAM Designer Jackie Sweeney’s work creates a nice compliment to these costumes, braiding hair, twirling moustaches and fiendishly homaging Bride of Frankenstein with an enormous eccentric wig. Meanwhile, Noah Ehrhardt’s prosthetics on the creature really help bring his hulking, iconic look to life!

Mel Brooks’ comedic flair is peppered into every song and one-liner. While not every joke results in a hearty chuckle, the mad-cap variety and the show’s sheer twisted satire create a constantly smile inducing atmosphere. Its packed with tongue-in-cheek innuendo filled comedy, satirical genre defying twists, fourth-wall breaking meta-humour, on-going mispronunciations, garbled stereotypes/accents, slapstick gags, eye-rolling puns, parodic songs, intense physical routines and absurd dead-pan interactions. Most jokes are lifted directly from iconic movie scenes, such as “Abby Normal” and the “werewolf… there wolf” skits, amusing old fans while amusing newcomers with timeless silliness.

Act one feels like a fun romp through Frederick’s bizarre world, but act two steps it up with laugh-out-loud gags, spectacles, the most outlandish ideas, and some ingenious showcases of physical comedy. My only grumble was an out of place cringe-inducing cabbage fart joke that cut through the show’s addictively witty tone. 

Brooks’ music is particularly engaging, with an incredible variety and bucket loads of campy, innuendo-crammed comedy. Inga’s (Julie Yammanee) cutesy, flirtation-filled ‘Roll In The Hay’ with, its humpy movements and jittering cart, is an imaginative paradox to Elizabeth’s (Rhiannon Chesterman) ‘Please Don’t Touch Me’, before her transformation and jaw-dropping solo in ‘Deep Love’. She has the charm and egotism of a Vaudeville star.

Ore Oduba is an enigmatic live wire as Frankenstein, capturing the frantic essence of Gene Wilder’s role, while adding his own enchanting charm to the character. His scientific eccentrics are promptly showcased during opening number ‘The Brain’ and the rib-tickling ‘It Could Work’.

Curtis Patrick may be one of the best physical comedy actors I’ve seen to date! His Igor is teeming with chaos and liveliness, with frenzied expressions, toothy smiles, bewildering tendencies and incredibly outlandish deliveries. There’s a real spark in Oduba and Patrick’s playful relationship with Patrick’s Igor as the two come ‘Together Again For The First Time’ in a hilariously paradoxical, ritzy showstopper.

Pete Gallagher’s deep-voiced monster is equally thrilling, lightening the show with a catalogue of hilarious facial expressions and varied gargles before an eloquent performance in the show’s finale. His harshly tuned, sluggish responses and dance routine with his disobedient shadow during the showy and intricately choregraphed (Nick Winston – also director) ‘Puttin’ on the Ritz’ tap number was the highlight of the evening- a completely bewildering, but top-tier sequence.

Another crowd-pleaser was the villager’s playful barber-shop acapella ‘Welcome To Transylvania’ before the side-splitting, high-octane ‘Transylvania Mania’ led by Patrick’s zany Igor and a spooky dance number.

Additionally, Simeon Truby’s absurdly melodramatic performance of ‘Please Send me Someone’ and its reprisal had me howling with laughter. Gallagher’s wild, confounded reactions to Truby’s deadpan injury-inducing “mistakes” culminated in an unforgettable slapstick sequence.

You simply cannot choose a favourite character, gag or musical number!

Young Frankenstein is comedy gold, paying homage to its horror film predecessors and re-energizing Brooks’ cult-classic with a surprising amount of toe-tapping showtunes. While some jokes feel a little underwhelming or repetitive, the majority feel fresh and are sure to have the audience roaring with laughter. It’s a Frankensteinian creature in itself, stitching together genres, aesthetics and sounds to form a giant riotous romp.

Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein The Musical runs at Hope Mill Theatre until November 30 2025 before transferring to Liverpool Everyman Theatre from December 3 2025 to January 3 2026.

Photo: Mark Senior