The previously announced new U.K. version of the musical adaptation of Young Frankenstein is to be launched at Newcastle's Theatre Royal, beginning performances August 26, 2017, for a run through September 9, prior to a projected West End opening in the fall of 2017.
In a previous interview with Yahoo, Mel Brooks revealed that this is to be a “streamlined version” of the 2007 Broadway musical. “I’ve added a great song called ‘It Could Work,’ by Dr. Fronkensteen. I’ve added a great number called ‘Hang Him ’Til He’s Dead,’ by Inspector Kemp — you know, ‘give him a fair trial… and then hang him ’til he’s dead!’ And it’s going to be in a theatre in the West End in London about a year from now, and then if it really works, and people really love it, I’ll take it back to New York in a nice little theatre. We won’t do an over-blown production like we did originally [at Broadway's largest theatre, the Hilton, now the Lyric]. It’ll be fabulous.”
Stroman directed the original Broadway production of Young Frankenstein after winning a Tony for staging Brooks’ The Producers in 2001. Brooks called her “a genius” and said, “When she did The Scottsboro Boys, she hired a genius guy who does crazy sets, all kinds of imaginative sets. His name is Beowulf Boritt — you can imagine how crazy he is! And he said, ‘You know, you have that scene where Marty Feldman (who plays Igor) says, ‘No, I can’t throw the third switch, it’s too dangerous! I can’t, I can’t, it’s too dangerous!’ And Gene says, ‘Throw it, damn your eyes, throw it!’ After this scene’s big fight, when Marty Feldman/Igor finally throws the switch, Boritt says, ‘I’m going to blow up the theater! Not just what’s on stage, but I’m going to rig the edges of the balcony, the ceiling. I’m going to scare the s**t out of that audience, because they’ll know the third switch was a little too dangerous.’ He said it’ll really be a theatrical moment. That should keep audiences on their toes. It might kill a few people, but it’s worth it! We’ll put it on the ticket: ‘Be seated at your own risk.‘ Until the third switch is thrown, they won’t know what the hell that’s about, but when that theatre rocks, it’s going to be an event.”
Full creative team and casting will be announced at a later date.
Young Frankenstein is produced by Mel Brooks, Michael Harrison, Fiery Angel, and Hani Farsi.
