The Producers
by Mel Brooks
The Regent Theatre Stoke-on-Trent
3rd - 7th November 2009
SYNOPSIS
The Producers’ is a Broadway and West End sensation, winning every major Best New Musical Award including the Laurence Olivier, Evening Standard and Critics Circle Awards as well as the most Tont Awards in Broadway history: a staggering 12 in total. When down on his luck theatrical producer Max Bialystock and his hapless accountant Leo Bloom, hatch the ultimate theatrical scam - to raise the money they need to produce a sure-fire Broadway disaster, and then pocket the left-over cash when the show flops- who do they turn to? The world’s worst director of course, Roger DeBris. Their guaranteed to fail fiasco? Springtime for Hitler - the musical.
REVIEW
According to The Producers the way to make serious money from a theatrical production is by staging an almightly flop. If that was truly the case then North Staffordshire Operatic Society are set to be disappointed with their latest musical, as it's anything but.
The opening night of The Producers at Hanley's Regent Theatre attracted an audience that looked to be around half-full, which is more than plenty of professional, touring productions. And this was despite the tickets being priced at £12, £16 and £18, also on a par with some professional productions.
It has to be said that the production got off to a slow start, partly due to the microphones appearing to be switched off completely for the first scene and other sound problems throughout the first half, including a high-pitched screech just before the interval. But this had been dealt with by the second half, and it was easier to make out the dialogue from where I was sitting in the circle.
Once in full swing, The Producers was fast-paced and very entertaining, with comic characters played well by this locally-based amateur cast. Jon Bott and Tom Pear starred as crooked producer Max Bailystock and hapless accountant Leo Bloom, together acting, singing and dancing their way through most of the action. They were joined by Catherine O'Reilly as Ula, Tony O'Rourke as Roger DeBris, Edward Stokes as Carmen and a very funny Thomas Davies as Franz Liebkind.
The sets were elaborate and were moved slickly and seamlessly. This element of the show was perhaps the most impressive for me, and credit is definitely due to those responsible.
If you're unfamiliar with the plot of The Producers, it involves the Broadway show Springtime For Hitler deliberately created to be a failure.
The producers hatch a plot to put on the all-singing, all-dancing, swastika-draped homage to Hitler and his Reich, fully expecting to make a killing when it bombs.It sounds in bad taste, but it's actually hilarious and you have to remember that it's author, Mel Brooks, is Jewish. And, believe me, Nazi stormtroompers tap dancing across The Regent's stage is quite a sight to behold. So well done North Staffs Operatic Society for bringing something a little different to Hanley, and staging it so professionally.
FEATURED CAST
Max Bialystock
Leo Bloom
Franz Leibkind
Roger De Bris
Carmen Ghia
Ulla Swason
Jon Bott
Tom Pear
Thomas Davies
Tony O'Rourke
Edward James Stokes
Catherine O'Reily
FEATURED CREW
Director
Musical Director
Choreographer
Dance Captain
Stage Manager
Costumes
Scott St Martin
Liz Talbot
Scott St Martin
Val Waddell
Terry Wright
Margaret Noyce
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