ANNALONG-born performer Allen Gordon said he has spent the past three months attempting to get inside the head of Hollywood star Gene Wilder in preparation for his newest role. From April 23 to April 27 Allen takes on the lead role of Frederick Frankenstein as part of the St Agnes’s Choral Society’s run of ‘Young Frankenstein’ at the Mac Theatre in Belfast.
He explained why it is crucial to get the performance just right. “‘Young Frankenstein’ is such an iconic movie by Mel Brooks with Gene Wilder,” he said. “The music and dialogue in it is so directly lifted from the movie that fans of the movie will come expecting to hear key phrases. “You want to deliver them as they should be delivered. That is where the comedy in it is. It is a very funny show. “The audience deserve to see the best possible version. So I am trying to get into Gene Wilder’s mindset and embody that character that he portrayed so brilliantly in the film.” Allen Gordon will be familiar to anyone who follows the performances of the Newcastle Glees. He was the lead role in ‘Made in Dagenham’ last year, and he also played a key part in their most recent performance of the ‘Calendar Girls’.
He has been part of The St Agnes’s Choral Society in Belfast since 2022. He joined when the St Agnes’s director discovered his talents while she was directing the Glees. “She asked if I could dance and act as well as sing. I said ‘Yes, I can do all that’”. He says that fans of musical theatre should make a point of getting to see the show at the Mac. “St Agnes’s Choral Society is one of the oldest, longest-running musical societies in Belfast. It has won masses of amounts of awards. “The talent in the company is phenomenal. The ensemble are incredibly talented and they make an incredible sound. “The dancers are incredible to watch. “There is a brilliant tap routine by choreographer Amy Blackshaw in this show. “The skill involved is mind-blowing. It is worth coming just to see the tap routine.” The cast includes Thomas Martin as Igor, Lorraine Jackson as Inge, Michelle Hannaway as Elizabeth Benning, and Newcastle’s Emma Nugent as Frau Blucher.
Allen said: “Emma Nugent from the Glees is playing the character of Frau Blucher. She has got a dark character but the humour Emma brings to it is incredible to watch.” The director is Rachel Logan Fee and the musical director is Andrew Robinson. Playing the part of Frederick Frankenstein is a big step for Allen, but he is well prepared for it. He played Gomez in the Choral Society’s performance of ‘The Addams Family’ last year, a part that Allen felt helped him in his progression. “Gomez opened a door for me because it was a bigger lead role as a leading man. “The leading man sometimes is in the show but an awful lot of music theatre is about the woman. Playing Gomez was a nice even balance between myself and Lorraine, who played Morticia. “For me at the time was the biggest part that I had had. That was a heavy role to carry. “When I was doing that it showed me that I can handle a lot more in terms of songs and choreography. “I was surprised at myself. But then I had a great team around me, the production team were brilliant, the cast and the other principals were brilliant. I had the support that is needed in that type of role.” But he says that playing Frederick Frankenstein is a step up. “The whole show is about him and his character development. “I rarely get a break in the whole show. “There are only three scenes when I am not in. “The workload is intense and there is a lot of material to learn.”
Allen said that getting the part took a big effort on his part. Auditions were at the start of December 2023. He got the part on December 12. “I put a lot of work into an audition. I’ve watched the movie over and over again to get a sense of how Gene Wilder plays this part, and really trying to get in his mindset. “It was a bit of surprise to get the part because I was up against some stiff competition. “There was a quick shedding of tears of sheer joy and relief (after he found out he received the part).” The effort that it takes to get the parts and prepare for them is massive. But we have to remember that Allen and the other members of the group are amateur. They do all their work in their spare time. He has a number of things that he does to help him prepare. “I have recorded the entire script on my phone and I can sit and listen to the whole script. “It is also just a case of reading lines at night with my partner. “The other thing I do is take the time to meet up with other principals. “You don’t have a minute to waste.” But Allen said that he takes personal pride in preparing for it. “Anything I do in life I want perfection. “I played hockey for years, I gave everything to it until I was forced to retire due to injury. “Anything I put my name to I want to be the best.” There are only ten days left until the show starts. “The last four weeks we really refine everything. We will look at things and change things. “We rehearse a lot, but even outside of rehearsals I will meet with the principals to run through. “When you have got a full-time job and a family life and trying to have a social life then you need to find extra hours in the week where you can rehearse so that the show is second nature.” Allen said the nerves are starting to increase as the performance days approach. “I’m equal parts anxious and equal parts terrified. “Because I am a perfectionist I am quite anxious. In the run up to a show that anxiety tends to boil over. It leads to sleepless nights. I lose my appetite. “But I try to keep to a routine. “Then when the lights hit and you step out on the stage the adrenaline takes over. “There is nothing quite like the experience.”
For more information about tickets and the performance see https://themaclive.com/event/youngfrankenstein or to find out more about St Agnes’s Choral Society see https://www.stagneschoralsociety.com/
