He Vas My Boyfriend!

"A sed-a-give?" Anne Horak, Joanna Glushak, Cory English, Roger Bart and Shuler Hensley. Credit Photo: Paul Kolnik ©2009

Some things from the 70s stand the test of time. Not polyester print shirts. Or shag haircuts for boys, or streaking. I mean really, who wants to see most people running naked. Unless they are jogging towards me with a strawberry daiquiri, a plate of shrimp scampi and tickets to Cabo, in which case I’ll overlook the wardrobe infraction.

But one thing that still makes me laugh is “Young Frankenstein,” the production now playing at the Fox Theatre based on the Mel Brooks movie that came out in 1974. Despite the fact that my friend Melissa, whose friendship also dates back to the 70s, and I knew just about all the gags, we still laughed out loud at the non-stop silliness.

During intermission, Melissa recalled that her first date was to see “Young Frankenstein” and that way back then, some of the jokes were rather embarrassing. I mean, who wants to hear about an enormous schwanzschtücker when you’re all flustered already wondering if he’ll try to hold your hand?

The risqué factor has increased more than Alex Baldwin’s waist size since then, with occasional four-letter words and an explicit roll in the hay with Inga and Frederick but that was okay. Melissa and I are a little more mature now. Notice I said “A little.” Let’s face it, a certain amount of immaturity is quite helpful in enjoying the work of Mel Brooks.

I was curious about the movie’s transition to a musical, but I really enjoyed the songs, especially Frau Blucher’s (neigh, neigh) rendition of “He Vas My Boyfriend” along with her chair dance worthy of a strip club dancer.

As we were chatting before the performance, I hadn’t read the program and kept thinking I recognized the actor playing Frederick Frankenstein. Sure enough, it was George, one of Bree’s many husbands on “Desperate Housewives.” (He was the one who killed her first husband Rex, then killed himself by taking pills.) Roger Bart originated the role in the Broadway production.

Tony-award winner Shuler Hensley, who plays the Monster, is from Marietta and went to our high school. But he is younger than we are and was lucky to have missed the polyester shirt phase.

Get some tickets and go laugh yourself silly. For some of us, that’s a fairly short journey.

Young Frankenstein is at the Fox Theatre through January 31. Click here for ticket information.