Review: ‘Young Frankenstein’ comes alive

By Chris Brown on October 26, 2018.

Nine out of 10 doctors agree you should get tickets for “Young Frankenstein.” The tenth doctor is an idiot and probably has an abnormal brain.

Following the media night performance Wednesday, Medicine Hat Musical Theatre officially begins its new season tonight as the curtain rises on “Young Frankenstein,” the Broadway smash based on the hit Mel Brooks movie.

For those unaware, the story is basically this: Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (pronounced Fronk-en-steen), the grandson of the infamous Victor Frankenstein goes to Transylvania after inheriting his family’s estate. Once there he gets sucked into the family business — monster making. Naturally things go awry and hilarity ensues.

Branden Martin as Frederick dives into every scene, movement and word. He’s matched in the second half by Stephen Philpott’s Monster.

The script by comic legend Brooks has laughs coming from all directions — from the songs, the lyrics and the jokes themselves, even the ones you can see coming a mile away. Some may be a little blue for Grandma though, so make sure she knows what’s up before she sits down.

The talented cast members — who each stand out in their own moments — do their part to deliver laughs via the dance numbers, their reactions to the other cast members and physical comedy throughout.

The dance numbers aren’t just noteworthy for the laughs.

“Puttin’ on the Ritz” is quite possibly the best thing produced on a Medicine Hat stage this year. The dozen cast members tap their way through the near 10-minute number with aplomb. And the wide-eyed, gaping mouth expression on Philpott’s face throughout will make you laugh each time it catches your eye. (How does he keep his face like that the whole time? It must hurt at the end of the night.)

If you want to get into the scary spirit but aren’t a fan of fear and frights, “Young Frankenstein” provides a dose of Halloween hilarity.