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We are unfashioned creatures, but half made up.
Image: Courtesy MVT

That’s Fronkensteen

by Nina Buck | Sep 19, 2012

Stage / Move over zombies, there’s a new monster in town. It’s big and green-faced. It doesn’t eat brains. It sings and dances. And it hangs out behind the curtain of Manoa Valley Theatre.

Young Frankenstein, based on the 1974 film by Mel Brooks, opened with a bang on Sept. 6 and plays all month long. Described as “an affectionate parody of the classical horror film genre,” the story goes something like this: Young professor Frankenstein wants nothing to do with his cuckoo ancestors. He’s respected in his field, and engaged to be married, but, Frankenstein inherits family land in Transylvania and sets off for Europe to check it out. The professor comes upon a creepy/hilarious cast of characters who introduce him to his peculiar inheritance. Frankenstein becomes infatuated with the idea of continuing his grandfather’s masterwork, bringing a corpse to life, creating a monster. Show tunes follow.

When you go, remember there’s a little bar beside the box office, and as a convenience to the ever-so-curious monster spectator, it’s perfectly acceptable to bring your glass of wine with you to your seat. So kick back, sip some merlot and stagger along with the musical numbers. You’ll leave with affection for Shelley’s original monster who challenged the philosophies of life, consciousness and existence.

Manoa Valley Theatre, 2833 East Manoa Rd. Runs through Sun., 9/23, $20–$35, [manoavalleytheatre.com], 988-6131

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