Young Frankenstein Theatre Royal Newcastle/Garrick London

[theatremadness]

Don't think there is a thread on this yet, though it has been discussed!

Apparently at a screening of Blazing Saddles, Mel Brooks claimed that a new, streamlined version of Young Frankenstein will open in the West End in about a year, directed by Susan Stroman. If it goes down well, he'll take it back to Broadway in "a nice little theatre".


www.broadwayworld.com/article/ITS-ALIVE-Mel-Brooks-YOUNG-FRANKENSTEIN-Headed-to-Londons-West-End-Is-Broadway-Next-20160906

[Deleted]

My only wish this year is that Andrea Martin will be in this.

[Deleted]

I have waited to see this musical since I bought the cast album in America in 2007!

Although I do wonder if it will do well going straight into the West End. Maybe doing what The Addams Family is doing by touring with a producer like Music & Lyrics would be a better way to bring it over, or even with a regional theatre like the West Yorkshire Playhouse.

[thebearofwestend]

Why do people feel they need to do a new work of an unsuccessful musicals.

Sept 7, 2016 0:39:46 GMT @gho said:

[couldileaveyou]

It's one of the worst musicals I have ever seen...

[Deleted]

O.

M.

Gosh.

[rosscoe]

Saw a production in Park CIty Utah , and must say it was a joyously funny night of theatre. Stripped back to nearly nothing, the jokes landed, the cast where on point, enjoyed more than I thought I would...

A scaled back production should of been how it opened a n New York in the first place

[westendwendy]

I saw it on Broadway and loved it. Easy show.

[viserys]

I saw it in Paris a while ago in a fairly small-scale production and while I have nothing to compare it to (never saw anything of the NY production) I would agree that it worked just fine like that.

However, personally I find Brooks' type of humour terribly dated and borderline offensive relying on cliches like thick accents, dumb busty blondes and super-campy gays. The films were as much a product of their time as the films they were spoofing.

For me he'll also always be the guy who introduced the plague that are premium seats.

Would perhaps revisit it in London for the casting, though with low expectations.

[Deleted]

Why?

[stefy69]

This will be one of my rare excursions to a musical.

[Deleted]

Maybe it will do a Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and do a couple of regional venues before a year or so in the West End. Then maybe tour it again?

[Jon]

I know Legally Blonde and to an extent Shrek were successful but I do think producers should stop trying and reinvent shows that didn't have a long shelf life on Broadway. DRS only did a year, Women on the Verge 5 months and I suspect Young Frankenstein would be a year max if it came to the West End.

[mallardo]

It's by no means a bad show, just an unnecessary one. They could never top the movie and they didn't. I saw the touring company do it in LA with some of the Broadway cast - Roger Bart and Schuler Hensley - returning for the occasion. I was sitting two rows behind Mel Brooks himself who was the show's biggest fan. He never stopped laughing.

[theatremadness]

Runs from August 26th 2017 at Theatre Royal Newcastle, according to Baz. Directed by Susan Stroman. Priority tickets on sale November 7th.

[Phantom of London]

I saw this in New York and unabashedly loved it, if you going to compare this to The Producers, then you are going to be sorely disappointed

Mel Brookes made a rod for his own back by turning his back on the St James, then not publishing grosses.

Strange place to debut a Broadway musical though.

[Deleted]

I am PRAYING that this is the start of some sort of tour as I'd rather not travel 4 hours to Newcastle.

And if it's a pre-West End tryout then I imagine tickets will be much more expensive.

[Seriously]

I'm always reassured when something does an out of town try-out first. I like it when a show learns from its audience on the road, then eventually, when it's ready, comes to London.

[Phantom of London]

Oh but also those shows can easily die on the road.

May be worth a trip up to Newcastle.

[Deleted]

Sometimes it's a useful litmus for audiences as well as the show. Me, for example, I won't travel to Newcastle to see it, but if it gets its West End transfer, I'll take that as a sign that it worked well in Newcastle and therefore book it in London. If it were going straight into London, odds would be significantly lower that I'd book it.

[Deleted]

I saw it in NY on a cheap ticket whim and remember enjoying it at the time, likewise I wouldn't go out of my way (and Newcastle is really out of my way) but if it does well there and comes to London, then I'd be more inclined to see it.

[londonmzfitz]

Theatre Board Coach Trip.

[Deleted]

Sept 8, 2016 14:52:59 GMT mallardo said:

It's by no means a bad show, just an unnecessary one.

Perhaps they'll add some gratuitous female nudity so as to make it essential for you.

[PalelyLaura]

Handy for me, I can pop home for the weekend and see this at the same time :-)

[ali973]

I saw the US tour. Roger Bart and Andrea McArdle were still in it. It was by far better than I expected, and hilarious. But I wouldn't have gone if my ticket weren't dirt cheap. And I see no reason why this, out of all shows, should occupy a West End theatre, which are scarce to begin with.

What do they mean streamlined anyway? It's not like it has a plot that was hard to understand? This is not a show that needs rewrites. The story is basic and the jokes either land or don't.