By Jeff Swindoll Dec 28, 2007, 12:18 GMT
Mel Brooks hopes that lightening will strike twice on the great white way [insert rimshot here]. Brooks has always have a wee bit of the songwriter in him and has always written some little numbers for some of his films (around my office a mention of the Spanish Inquisition either triggers a musical number or a Monty Python sketch). It comes as no surprise, with the success of the Producers, that he tries his hand again and adapts one of his funniest films for Broadway.
I wasn’t sure what to expect, but found the results hilarious. Sure some of the original songs aren’t exactly golden, but then you have the not so thinly veiled innuendo of ‘He Vas My Boyfriend’ with Andrea Martin taking over for Cloris Leachman or my other favorite ‘Join the Family Business.’
The only cast member (only judged by their singing since I’ve not seen the play) that didn’t do much for me was Megan Mullally in the Madeline Kahn role (sadly Kahn was taken from us too soon and missed immensely). Her voice just was a bit too much for my tin ear, but the song (again, not so thinly veiled) about ‘Deep Love’ is extremely funny.
The album has a ton of laughs, cumulating in the number well proven in its hilarity – ‘Puttin’ on the Ritz.’ It is a funny album and full of Brook’s humor and recommended to let the good times roll while you’re digging out a grave or building your monster.
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