Young Frankenstein musical at Hope Mill Theatre – review

Hope Mill Theatre is celebrating its tenth anniversary and what better way to get in the party mood than with a Mel Brooks revival. This stage version of his 1974 cult classic crackles with all the chaos, camp, and inappropriate glee you might expect, all delivered with a wink, a shimmy, and the occasional obligatory horse whinny.

Frederick Frankenstein is a respectable New York brain surgeon who inherits his infamous grandfather’s Transylvanian castle. Despite his initial reservations, he is soon knee-deep in corpses, candelabras, and questionable scientific ethics. He attempts to recreate his grandfather’s monster with the help of buxom lab assistant Inga, hunchbacked sidekick Igor, and the terrifyingly poised Frau Blücher, who looks like she got lost en route to Marina Abramović’s Balkan Erotic Epic at Factory International.

Ore Oduba’s Frederick strikes just the right balance between manic energy and bewildered innocence as a man torn between academic respectability and wild-eyed madness. This is a dream casting as Oduba has a great voice and a wonderful physicality on stage throughout all the big dance numbers. Another Inspired choice is Rhiannon Chesterman in the role of Frankenstein’s shallow fiancée Elisabeth. She delivers an incredible vocal, but it’s her comic timing and lightness of touch that make her sparkle in every scene like Carole Lombard in the great screwball comedies of the golden age of Hollywood.

Jessica Martin’s Frau Blücher holds every scene with Teutonic precision, sharp enough to reanimate the dead. Julie Yammanee makes Inga a perfect blend of flirtatious charm and screwball gusto, while Curtis Patrick’s Igor is the kind of rubber-limbed clown who could raise the roof with a single eyebrow. Pete Gallagher’s Monster is a lumbering, delightful blend of terrifying giant and tender sweetness, especially when he unexpectedly breaks into song. There’s real warmth beneath the green makeup, proving that even a stitched-together corpse can carry a tune.

Director and choreographer Nick Winston keeps the pace racing along at lightning speed, being equal parts homage to the absurd, a love letter to old Universal horror, and joyous musical chaos. The numbers, such as “Transylvania Mania,” are deliriously overblown and “Puttin’ on the Ritz” is like a jazz-handed fever dream halfway between Fred Astaire and a Halloween disco. The choreography is tight, the lighting gleefully gothic, and the set just camp enough to feel both spooky and splendid.

Not every gag lands and a few jokes creak like an old coffin lid, so the humour may feel quite dated if you’re unfamiliar with Brooks’ brand of bawdy parody. But for the most part, Young Frankenstein fizzes with electricity and charm, so if you fancy an evening of musical lunacy, high-voltage gags, and the joyous resurrection of old-school comedy, this monster mash hits all the right notes.