Young Frankenstein as presented by WLOS

Wexford Light Opera Society

Young Frankenstein

Saturday 3^rd May 2025

Expectations are always high when you attend a Wexford Light Opera Society show. Their productions, staged in one of the finest venues the country has to offer, are always professionally produced and highly entertaining. Their version of the comedy horror/parody ‘Young Frankenstein’ ensured that expectations were met and often surpassed in what was a wonderful night of theatre. Led by an exceptional creative and technical team, the cast embraced the show's absurdity and delivered a most memorable evening’s entertainment. 

There are few theatres like the National Opera House for comfort and style, and it is always a privilege to attend a show there. I was looked after so well and it was clear that society members were going out of their way to create a most welcoming environment for patrons as they arrived.

Director Christine Scarry ensured that we were treated to a slick, fast-moving production with great pace and exceptional fluidity to what can be a very challenging show. Everything was meticulously considered and crafted. The show was very well-rehearsed and cleverly blocked with a good understanding of the show's vaudevillian style and delivery. There were many nice touches throughout the show. ‘Join the Family Business’ was a brilliant fusion of direction, choreography, music, and technical elements, in what was a standout moment of the show.

‘Life, Life’ was simply incredible, with the rising table, sparks flying, and brilliantly timed sound effects, all combining in the creation of a brilliantly realised sequence. ‘Roll in the Hay’ is one of the standout comedic songs of the show. Unfortunately, I felt that it fell a little bit flat on this occasion. I did feel that the euphemistic ‘hayride’ was a missed opportunity to really push the boundaries in true Mel Brooks style. A small personal preference in what was a brilliantly directed show overall. Other clever touches included Dracula's unexpected arrival in the coffin and the brilliant reveal of Frederick and Inga on the table. Excellent work overall.

Musical director David Hayes, assisted by chorus mistress Eithne Corrigan, did a simply wonderful job with this show. You only had to look at the list of assembled musicians to know that this was going to be a very special musical presentation. From the moment the orchestra began to play, we were treated to an almost cinematic musical experience with the most incredible sound, perfectly balanced and completely in tune with the narrative detail of the show. There was great collaboration with the sound department in featuring various instruments as required, such as the gorgeous violin leitmotif in the ‘Life, Life’ section of the overture and Igor's French horn ‘solo.’ Underscoring was incredibly sensitive and well-timed, demonstrating an acute awareness that the single most important thing was the spoken narrative. Choral singing was exceptionally good. Perfectly mixed offstage vocals in ‘Life, Life’ added so much to the dramatic tension as we built to the climactic moment of the Monster’s ‘reanimation.’ A simply outstanding job from start to finish.

Choreographer, Thérése O’Sullivan devised some very impressive routines, which were well pitched for the very large ensemble. ‘Please Don't Touch Me’ was very well choreographed with great synchronicity. However, I felt that, because the comedy largely lies in the separation of the couples, that the space between them needed to be more exaggerated for the visual gag to really work. ‘Together Again for the First Time’ was a fabulously performed, vaudevillian style routine from Frederick and Igor. ‘Welcome to Transylvania’ was quirky as hell but it had to be as Igor is literally making it up as he goes along. This was a wonderful example of choreography supporting the narrative as the townspeople were drawn into the absurdity whilst Igor attempted to distract them from the monster's wailings.

Of course, the absolute highlight was ‘Puttin’ on the Ritz,’ borrowed from a certain Mr. Berlin, which was the tap-dancing showstopper that it should be. It is a monster of a number, and Ms. O’Sullivan is to be commended for her fabulous work with the huge ensemble and, in particular, for the fabulous shadow dance, which was so well synchronised and had obviously been rehearsed to within an inch of its life.

Colin Flynn was an excellent Doctor Frederick Fronkensteen, sorry Frankenstein, in what was a most confident and dynamic performance, full of whimsical charm and charisma. His performance as the neuroscientist who shuns academic life to take up residence in his newly inherited castle in Transylvania, was quite wonderful. Mr. Flynn was the driving force behind the production, hardly off stage from beginning to end. The most natural of comedians, he had great comic understanding and physicality. His Frederick was often manic but well able to balance the light and shade of this quirky character as he continued his grandfather's legacy in pursuing the reanimation of dead tissue. Mr. Flynn's incredible diction in the patter song, ‘The Brain,’ was so impressive and his fine vocal abilities were very evident in ‘Man About Town.’ 

A superb performance all around.19-year-old Kacey Mooney did very well as Transylvanian, wannabe lab assistant, Inga. Ms. Mooney impressed hugely with her stunning vocals, in particular, her exquisite yodelling in ‘Roll in the Hay’ and the beautifully seductive ‘Listen to Your Heart.’ She had a wonderfully consistent accent and excellent diction throughout. Ms. Mooney had a light comic touch and I would have liked to see her push the comic possibilities even further; to throw herself into the role without restraint. I really look forward to seeing Ms. Mooney building on this wonderful performance over the coming years.

David Doyle was very animated as the humpbacked sidekick Igor, with the ever-moving hump. Mr. Doyle gave us a quirky, weird, and ultimately hilarious characterisation, with wonderful physicality and razor-sharp comic timing. There were so many comic highlights in Mr. Doyle's performance but ‘Together Again for the First Time,’ with Mr. Flynn, was certainly a standout moment, as was his very funny “Walk this way sequence” which underlined Mr. Doyle’s wonderful physicality. Awareness of the audience was sometimes an issue and Mr. Doyle broke the fourth wall on occasion, which did not seem entirely appropriate for this style of show. Nonetheless, this was a top notch, performance from a very skilled comedian.

Sophie Blaney Parslow gave a great performance as Frederick's neurotic, needy, and teasing fiancée, Elizabeth Benning. Her characterisation was delightfully over-the-top. Ms. Blaney Parslow was a very good singer with great comedic timing and clearly relished her performance in ‘Please Don't Touch Me,’ during which she showed what a superb high register she had. Little was left to the imagination as the monster had his wicked way with her offstage. ‘Deep Love’ was incredibly funny, one of the comedic highlights of the show as she travelled full circle from discouraging the merest touch from Frederick in the early stages of the show to liberating herself completely, having fallen for the monster's ample charms.

Stephen Byrne was a terrific monster who infused meaning into every growl and grunt, having been brought to life by Frederick. Mr. Byrne had the most hilarious range of facial expressions, which added so much to his very likeable characterisation. A lot of work had gone into his makeup and hair and his very unusual looking mohawk added inches to his already towering physique. He was hilarious in the scene with the hermit as he was hit on the head, scalded, and set alight. Of course, his ‘Puttin’ on the Ritz’ was a standout number driven by Mr. Byrne.

It combined comedy, exquisite timing and excellent movement in a most memorable sequence which deserved a standing ovation all of its own. Mr. Byrne’s amazing shadow dance routine was excellent in its precision and his transformation from monster to gentleman, with his delightfully clipped posh accent, was excellent.

Antonia Close was a formidable Frau Blucher, the mysteriously dour housekeeper, whose name prompted terrified whinnying every time it was mentioned. Ms. Close demonstrated exceptional comic timing, switching from austere, deadpan facial severity to uninhibited, lustful abandon in the blink of an eye. ‘He Vas My Boyfriend’ was the performance of the show, for me, with Ms. Close's amazing physicality, attack and powerful, earthy vocal. This was a simply phenomenal performance as Ms. Close immersed herself in the character with exceptional timing, brilliantly judged pauses, and exquisite, deadpan delivery. Bravo.

Brian Kelly did well as Inspector Kemp. He had good diction and projected very well. His physicality was strong and he was consistent in his impeded movement; his surgeries having cost him “an arm and a leg.” He needed to be more aware of Frederick’s upstage positioning as he welcomed him to Transylvania, as this was played mostly downstage towards the audience. He was suitably suspicious throughout ‘Welcome to Transylvania’ and stood out in his solo dance as he slowly succumbed and became drawn into the shenanigans around him.

Pat Lawlor was a wonderful Harold, the blind hermit. His loneliness was palpable, as was his joy when joined by the monster. It can be difficult to make an impact in just one scene, but Mr. Lawlor grabbed his opportunity with both hands in delivering a very funny portrayal. His ‘Please Send Me Someone’ was beautifully poignant, showing Mr. Lawlor’s fine tenor voice off perfectly.

Likewise, Keith Flanagan delivered a very impressive cameo as Frederick's grandfather, Victor von Frankenstein. His singing in ‘Join the Family Business’ was excellent and he demonstrated very good presence and good comedic timing throughout the number.

Dylan Walsh did well as Ziggy, the village idiot. However, at times, I felt that his delivery lacked impact and that more could have been done with his character. To be fair, the part is underwritten, but creation of more comic business and a little bit more work from Mr. Walsh ‘off the ball,’ in terms of his expressions and reactions, could have made this a more impactful portrayal. 

There was great work from the ensemble whether playing villagers, ancestors, medical students, or the myriad cameo roles throughout the show. Elizabeth's five entourage members were superb vocally and movement wise, as were the four gentlemen who joined Inspector Kemp in the quintet at the top of ‘Welcome to Transylvania.’ 

There was great commitment to dance numbers and wonderful ensemble singing, particularly in ‘Please Don't Touch Me’’ and Transylvania Mania.’ There was excellent movement in ‘Puttin’ on the Ritz’ in particular and ‘Transylvania Mania’ showed great characterisation from the ensemble as they were drawn into Igor's ridiculous dance.

Accents were not entirely secure in the town hall meeting, during which a number of ‘Irish immigrants’ were in attendance. There was a rush to exit before blackout at the end of ‘Please Don't Touch Me,’ presumably to change for ‘Join the Family Business.’ It is always best to err on the side of caution, particularly during a fade blackout, before moving.

Colin Murphy presided over a very efficient stage crew, in what was a very busy show for this stage manager. He utilised cast well, striking furniture and props, as required. There was great timing of fly cues and amazing work in ‘Life, Life,’ coordinating the flying of the table, spectacular pyrotechnics, smoke, and the myriad special effects which went into making this a standout scene in the show. A super job all around.

There was an excellent, steampunk inspired, professional-looking set with giant cogs framing the stage and a very interesting circular platform which was used right through the show to give elevation to principal performers as required. The huge semicircular screen provided great scope for the use of some fabulously designed graphics, which added great depth to the stage in what was a seamless integration of technical and physical scenery. Side flats were very impressive with their scientific formulae. There was a wonderful revolving bookcase in the castle which worked very cleanly during one of the funniest scenes in the show. The fly piece which incorporated three steampunk-like portraits for Victor's ‘Join the Family Business’ was quite stunning. The laboratory looked amazing with its machines and inbuilt LX and the hermit's cabin, complete with a lit stove, provided great detail.

Lighting was stunning throughout, always enhancing, and supporting the narrative. There was great use of two follow spots in ‘Together Again for the First Time,’ which added to the vaudevillian feel of the show. Unfortunately, the horses and cart got caught in follow spot during their entrance and it might have been best to either bring Frederick and Igor stage left, or stage right for their entrance or to kill follow spot a little earlier. There were stunning ghostly effects in ‘Join the Family Business’ and I loved the detail of the shaft of light, indicating the opening to the passageway behind the bookcase. There was very clever work as Frederick and Inga entered the darkened laboratory for the first time by candlelight, as pockets of light were created every time they moved. The amazing bulbs built into the set worked so well in the context of the laboratory and fabulous backlighting gave us a very sharp silhouette for the iconic ‘Puttin’ on the Ritz.’ A super job all round.

Sound was excellent throughout, with brilliantly timed sound effects such as thunder, lightning, and the castle door. I did feel that the ‘squelch,’ when Igor stood on Herr Delbruck’s brain and the sound effect when the monster hit his head off the frying pan were too loud and might have been better off either omitted or played at a lower volume, as they came across as ‘panto-esque.’ Cueing of microphones was excellent with nothing dropped and EQ levels were perfect for all performers. Underscoring was incredibly sharp and clear throughout and the notoriously challenging ‘Life, Life’ was seriously impressive from a sound perspective. 

Brilliantly designed graphics blended perfectly with the physical set pieces to create a really stunning visual spectacle. The Young Frankenstein logo in the pre-set gave way to animated clouds and lightning. Using graphics allowed for great fluidity throughout the show, whether suggesting time passing or a quick change of location. Props were generally well handled. The skeleton was a great addition to Frederick’s lecture as was Mr. Hilltop’s gurney. ‘Please Don't Touch Me’ featured suitcases and trunks on a trolley. The absence of any hay in the iconic number ‘Roll in the Hay’ was jarring. Herr Delbruck's brain was described as being half the size of the abnormal brain which was eventually used for the monster. However, that did not appear to be the case.

All of the instruments in the laboratory, including the goggles looked very well. Lanterns were very authentic in ‘He’s Loose’ and there was great dressing of the hermit's cabin. However, it was quite obvious that there was no soup as nothing was spilt on the monster's lap. Likewise, there was nothing in the bottle for the hermit's toast. This kind of visual detail is important.The shattering mug worked so well, a great visual gag! And well done on sourcing a French horn for Igor. 

There was great work in the costume department from the traditional dress of the Transylvanians to the white coats of Frederick's students. There was attention to detail everywhere. The only thing that jarred was the beige mac, worn front and centre at Victor's funeral, which looked very out of place compared to the black funeral coats and shawls on the rest of the ensemble. The quartet in ‘Welcome to Transylvania’ looked great and the top hats and tails in ‘Puttin’ on the Ritz’ were fabulously classy.Hair and makeup were very well looked after. 

However, I did think that the ladies who had their long hair down at the funeral, might have tied their hair up to be more appropriate to both the era and the context. Victor von Frankenstein and the ancestors all looked wonderful. The monster's luminous green Mohawk was an unusual choice which grew on me (I wish!) after a while. I loved the subtle detail of Frederick's hair getting steadily crazier as the show progressed, reflecting his tortured mind as he descended into manic mode. The hermit's beard and wig were fabulous, as was Elizabeth's post-coital Bride of Frankenstein wig. The monster's makeup was very impressive but did need to be touched up as the show progressed.

‘Young Frankenstein,’ based on the Mel Brooks movie from the early 1970s, is full of cheap innuendo, double entendre, sledgehammer humour, and its fair share of dreadful puns. There is little sophistication, no deep message and plenty of deep love. Sounds just about perfect to me! Wexford Light Opera Society understood the brief and the show’s very specific comedic style. With boundless enthusiasm, they pulled out all the stops, to give us a fabulously funny, technically impressive, excellent production. A credit to all involved!

Pat McElwain

Gilbert Adjudicator 2024/2025