Reviewed by Dr. Tiffany Knight Raymond, PhD and Theron Raymond (rising 6th grader)
The newly remodeled Greer Cabaret Theater plays host to Pittsburgh CLO’s Young Frankenstein, a book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan, and music and lyrics by Mel Brooks.
The show has a redwood’s worth of meta tree rings to unpack. This production is the 2017 version of Young Frankenstein, which is an edited version of Brooks’ 2007 musical of the same name, which is based on the 1974 Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder film, Young Frankenstein, which was created as a parody of the classic horror genre, specifically the 1931 film, Frankenstein, which is based on Mary Shelley’s famed 1818 novel, Frankenstein. That’s quite the monster mash-up.
Brooks’ version centers on Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (Dan DeLuca) who travels to Transylvania to claim his inheritance after the passing of his grandfather, Victor. Video designer Kylee Loera stunningly projects a black and white ship across the stage. It spills across the confines of the stage with borders as amorphous as the seas. The imposing ship is named the Queen Mary Shelly, which is a witty visual homage to both the Queen Mary ocean liner and Frankenstein’s authoress that would have been more impactful if her name was spelled correctly (Shelley, not Shelly).
As Frederick, DeLuca delivers unfaltering energy levels. The young doctor gets caught up in replicating his grandfather’s experiments after reading his journals. However, Frederick’s shift in perspective from radical no to eager yes is breathtakingly fast, stretching credulity. Brooks should have started Frederick from intrigued maybe. Breaking the Hippocratic Oath feels too morally effortless for the doctor.
Tim Hartman easily steals the show as The Monster, and not just because of his towering height. Director and choreographer Joel Ferrell directs Hartman to a stilting, lumbering walk that captures the Monster’s undead essence. Hartman’s primitive and guttural speech utterances are perfection. Ferrell masterfully guides Hartman’s speech to get subtly more discernable as the play progresses, reflecting The Monster’s worldly exposure and adaptation.
The most memorable musical number is Irving Berlin’s “Puttin’ on the Ritz,” which assembles the ensemble. Ferrell shines as choreographer with Hartman’s rocking lumber that puts The Monster charmingly offbeat. Costume designer Alexander Righetti has The Monster and Frederick twinning in tuxedos with tails. Righetti makes The Monster even more imposing and otherworldly with foreshortened tuxedo sleeves that visually symbolize how The Monster doesn’t fit in this world, regardless of his garb.
The fact that the Irving Berlin song is the most catchy and memorable highlights that the sardonic Brooks is more writer than lyricist. Brooks’ comedic dialogue sizzles with innuendo-heavy one-liners and slapstick-worthy wordplay. On the flipside, his songs are adequate, but don’t spark any Swiftie-level earworms.
Frankenstein family servant, Igor (Anthony Marino) captures the physicality of Brooks’ humor. Igor’s humpback keeps casually switching sides, sparking inquiry from Dr. Frederick. Igor cleverly recruits lascivious local community college student Inga (Alex Sheffield) to be Frederick’s assistant – as well as a romantic intrigue to keep Frederick in Transylvania. Sheffield exaggerates a rural Transylvanian accent and country naivete that flatters the brainy young Frederick.
Escape to Transylvania with Pittsburgh CLO’s production of Young Frankenstein, which runs through September 1, 2024 at the Greer Cabaret Theater (655 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA). Purchase tickets online here.
