Why no review? No critics allowed

Politely or bluntly, quite a few readers are asking me the same thing: "That heavy-duty show 'Young Frankenstein' is premiering here at the Paramount Theatre. So where the heck is your review of it?"

That's a good question. The answer: I have not yet written a review of this much-anticipated Broadway-bound musical based on the beloved Mel Brooks' film of the same title.

And to elaborate, I must mention the "P" principle.

"P" stands for preview. And "preview" stands for cutting the show a little slack, because the actors, technicians, designers, etc., are still trying to work out its kinks and whip that huge sucker into shape.

"Preview" is also shorthand for this: Critics are not welcome yet.

But don't blame us critics, please, if you snapped up tickets for "Young Frankenstein" not realizing that the majority of its performances in Seattle are, at least technically, previews.

Any confusion is no reflection on the smarts of ticket buyers. The term "preview" is nowhere to be found in the splashy marketing campaign for "Young Frankenstein" — the billboards, the bus placards, the print and electronic media ads.

Nor will the word likely be uttered when you call Ticketmaster to order seats for the musical. Or if you drop by the Paramount to buy them in person.

The standard practice of pricing preview seats a few bucks cheaper than post-press opening seats is in force for "Young Frankenstein." But if you want any critical guidance, you're outta luck until the Aug. 23 opening.

So you wanna see this big-deal musical, my friend? You pays your money, you takes your chances.

Fair, or rare?

Is this practice fair?

We'll get to that.

But it is not unheard of. Most shows in the Paramount's annual series of touring Broadway musicals don't identify their previews. And most wait a night or two before inviting us critics to storm the gates.

Still, for a show that's been touring for weeks or months, even years, previews are no big deal. In most cases, it is about as good as it's ever going to get by the time we see it.

With a new attraction like "Young Frankenstein," however, there's usually a lot more high anxiety (thanks, Mel) for the creators. And much more is at stake for the anxious backers of a show with this much cash riding on it. The rumored price tag (gulp): $20 million.

During previews, every aspect of the show is up for grabs, and audience reaction means a lot. Lighting and sound cues get rearranged. Entire speeches, songs or even scenes may be cut, or new ones added. It is not unheard of to have lead actors drop out or be replaced. And there is lore aplenty of spectacular preview debacles, even for shows that later turned out well. (During a Broadway preview of the musical "Titanic," the prop ship went aground before the script sank it.)

More candid, the better

It stands to reason that when producers bring a monster-sized "Young Frankenstein" to town, they want a lot of time to tinker with it. Or that they want to do the tweaking as far from Broadway theater wags as possible. Early criticism counts: Stephen Sondheim's most recent musical, "Bounce," has never reached Broadway, thanks to harsh buzz about its Washington, D.C., and Chicago tryouts.

In most respects, Seattle offers enough geographical distance, hired-hand theater talent and enthusiastic show-goers to make it an ideal Broadway tryout town. Sure, you can graze the Internet and already see blog reports on "Young Frankenstein" by those who've seen it in previews here. But these postings are often anonymous, under-the-radar and (maybe because we're so far West of the Hudson) usually taken with a grain of salt.

During the Seattle tryout for the 2002 pre-Broadway run of "Hairspray," another eagerly awaited musical (budgeted at a mere $10.5 million), the 5th Avenue Theatre played it straight with patrons, identifying which "Hairspray" performances were previews, explaining why they were essential and why they lowering the prices (albeit modestly) for them.

In my view, that's the way to do it. Be candid. Then leave it up to the customers to decide about seeing the show before it's critic-ready, or after the press has weighed in.

I'd guess such truth in advertising wouldn't make a big dent in the ticket sales for "Young Frankenstein." The show's healthy ticket sales here and in New York are based mainly on its name recognition; the well-known actors in the cast; and its cachet as a follow-up to a previous Broadway blockbuster by Brooks, "The Producers."

Slaves to tradition?

But you may also be wondering: Why do critics obey edicts about when to take in a production and when not to? Why not just get in line at the box office with everyone else and see the first night of "Young Frankenstein" — or any other show that is coy about its previews?

Why be so generous? Are we critics slaves to tradition?

Well, maybe. In part.

But to be, well, frank with you, it's more of a long-standing quid pro quo. Someone in the know once told me, off the record, that if Seattle critics jump the gun in attending these big tryout shows, Broadway producers will get so spooked, they won't premiere them here in the future.

So the next time a review of a big new pre-Broadway show doesn't appear promptly in these pages, that may be why. And if you buy a preview ticket without knowing it? You can take that up with the theater.

Misha Berson: mberson@seattletimes.com