‘Young Frankenstein’ Animates Marcus Center Stage

The touring Broadway production of Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein coasted through town last week. The show mixes a big Broadway musical with Mel Brooks’ characteristic screwball comedy. The sophisticated satire of the original 1974 filmwhich likely helped it win Hugo and Nebula awardshas mostly been removed in favor of stunning, flashy dance numbers choreographed by Susan Stroman and executed with admirable precision by a large group of dancers. Of particular note is a dizzying sequence in which dancers in medical outfits convince Frankenstein to “Join the Family Business” of reanimating the dead.

The production has the lush, dreamy feel you’d expect of a huge, expensive, touring Broadway show. As a musical comedy, it stands more on the side of the music. In the title role, Christopher Ryan demonstrates competent musical-theater skills, but falls flat on the comedic end, often going the route of exaggerated comedy at the expense of personality. Preston Truman Boyd holds up his end of the comedy as Frankenstein’s monster.

The most inspired comic performance came from Cory English in the role of Frankenstein’s assistant, Igor. English juggles the challenges of dancing, singing and navigating the stage as a hunchback while maintaining an irreverent sense of humor that adds immeasurably to the production. The performance by English even surpasses the enjoyable work by British comedian Marty Feldman in the original film, lifting the musical comedy beyond its typical cheap, superficial jokes.

Broadway at the Marcus Center follows Young Frankenstein with the 25th anniversary production of Les Misérables April 19-24, 2011.