As a long-time fan of The Producers, I couldn’t let the show close without getting myself to the Garrick to check it out. For those unfamiliar with the Mel Brooks classic, it tells of Max Bialystock, a Broadway producer who happens upon a scheme to make money out of a flop when Leo Bloom arrives to do his accounts. Max and Leo embark on the journey together as they find the most offensive script possible and the most unsuitable director and team.
The book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan is packed full of laugh-out-loud moments and the show unfolds at a wonderful pace as Bialystock and Bloom’s show gradually comes together, continuing to find new ways to entertain even after opening night as their plan collapses around them. There are also a huge number of visual gags in the show, from pigeons wearing Nazi flags through to human statues. Despite being very familiar with the show, many of these gags felt fresh thanks to the innovative direction of Patrick Marber, who was unafraid to create a new feel for the show whilst keeping true to its original spirit.
The music, also by Brooks, continues much of the show’s absurdity and really helps establish it as a musical that should never be taken too seriously. The music quickly establishes many of the characters’ traits, from Leo’s yearning for the stage in I Want To Be A Producer through to Ulla’s introduction in When You Got It, Flaunt It. Springtime For Hitler pulls out all the stops and ensures that, if the jokes weren’t offensive enough by this point (in the best way), the bar is raised further with an appearance from swastikas, Jesus and dancing Hitlers all on stage together.
The cast were all committed to the absurdity of the show. Andy Nyman plays Max and his physical comedy was perfect, from his fast-paced argument sequence with Leo through to small touches such as struggling to climb onto the safe, ensuring he eked out as much comedy as humanly possible. Marc Antolin is the other half of the duo as Leo. Antolin is an utter joy to watch front numbers such as I Want To Be A Producer and That Face, giving him an opportunity to pair his comedy skills with undisputable showmanship. Kate Parr played Ulla in the performance I saw and she captured Ulla’s sex appeal and showgirl energy perfectly. She also dances beautifully with Antolin during That Face in one of the more tender moments of the show. Harry Morrison plays the Führer-loving Franz and ensures that his larger-than-life character is wonderfully offensive but does so with such charm and conviction that you can’t help but laugh at him.
The ensemble are also strong across the board and are used to great effect, from showgirls to old ladies with Zimmer frames and from dancing Hitlers to accountants. The choreography by Lorin Latarro helps enhance the absurdity of the show, from using trampolines and Zimmer frames during Along Came Bialy through to the dancing pigeons in Der Guten Tag Hop-Clop.
The design element of the show is also particularly clever and it would be remiss of me not to mention the costume design by Paul Farnsworth, from the glitz of the showgirls through to the outlandish headwear in Springtime For Hitler. There is a huge amount happening on stage throughout The Producers, but it never feels as though the production is throwing things at the audience simply for the sake of it. Instead, the performances, choreography and design all work together to create the wonderfully ridiculous world that makes the show such an enduring favourite.
Having known and loved The Producers for years, I was perhaps the audience member most likely to sit there waiting for the familiar moments, but Marber’s production repeatedly found ways to make me look at them slightly differently. It is gloriously silly, wonderfully committed and packed with enough visual and physical comedy to make even a very familiar show feel fresh.
The Producers only has a few weeks left of their run with it closing on 19th September. You can find out more and book tickets here.
If you like this review you might also like my review of Death Note, The Comedy About Spies and Operation Mincemeat.