The Producers at the Garrick Theatre

By Samuel

After a sensational run at the Menier Chocolate Factory, The Producers lands at the Garrick Theatre with all the razzle dazzle and sheer showbiz bravado that made it a cult classic and somehow, it's even better in the West End and this production doesn’t just revive The Producers, it detonates it! Under the expert direction of Patrick Marber, the show maintains the hilarity and heart of Mel Brooks' original while finding fresh flair in every scene.

Andy Nyman (Max Bialystock) is a powerhouse from the second he shuffles on stage with the weight of a thousand flop musicals on his shoulders, he commands the room. His Bialystock is not just a sleazy schemer, he’s bruised, desperate and loveable and the audiences are with him every step of the way. Nyman balances comedy with genuine pathos, making Max feel layered and tragic beneath the laughs. Marc Antolin (Leo Bloom) is enchanting and approaches the role with such sincerity that you can’t help but root for him, even as he descends into fraud. Antolin's physical comedy is sharp but never overplayed every nervous tick, every startled leap, is timed to perfection. His chemistry with Nyman is fantastic, giving their partnership real emotional weight. Joanna Woodward (Ulla) turns her into a fully formed comedic force. She brings a self awareness to Ulla that makes every joke land even harder. Her accent's hilarious and her comic timing is spot on, she makes the perfect leading lady. Trevor Ashley (Roger De Bris) is gloriously unhinged, camp, couture and comic timing collide in a performance that walks the fine line between parody and homage. Ashley understands that Roger isn’t just a caricature; he’s a man who’s waited his whole life to be taken seriously and boy does he deliver. Harry Morrison (Franz) is equal parts terrifying and tender. He charges into his scenes like a man possessed, barking German, goose stepping and cuddling pigeons with the conviction of a method actor lost in a WWII bunker. But Morrison also finds the heart in Franz: a man whose ludicrous beliefs are matched only by his vulnerability. Morrison’s performance walks the satirical tightrope perfectly, making Franz both ridiculous and oddly loveable.

The show is worth seeing just for the sow within a show, just when you think they can't go there, guess what, they do. Every member of the ensemble shines. From the Little Old Ladies with walkers doubling as percussion instruments to the flamboyant storm troopers of Springtime for Hiter this cast understands that comedy lives in the details and every background gag is delivered with Broadway precision and British wit. Lorin Latarro’s choreography is a show stealing spectacle in itself, punchy and full of energy the kind of synchronized silliness that brings the house down. Scott Pask’s design, the transition from the intimate Menier space to the grandeur of the Garrick has been handled with style. It’s bigger, bolder, and yet loses none of the quirky intimacy that made the original production so special. The pacing is smart, the staging gloriously inventive and every number lands with precision and panache.

This is musical theatre at its funniest, silliest, and most self-aware. It’s hysterical, blasphemous, and utterly unforgettable. The heart of The Producers is in its joyful, unapologetic love for theatre and that radiates through every beat of this production. It's brash, it's bold, it's Broadway by way of Soho and it's utterly unmissable. The characters aren’t just part of the story they hijack the stage, rip up the rulebook, and leave audiences in helpless, hysterical tears.

5*