Musical review: The Producers, Hayes Theatre

You couldn’t write this musical today and hope to get it staged, yet The Producers, first released as a film in 1967, feels uncomfortably relevant in our current world.

From the devilishly comical mind of Mel Brooks, The Producers is an irreverent twist on the classic ‘show about putting on a show’ concept. 

Max Bialystock is a Broadway producer who has gone from being a celebrated success to a laughable failure, and whose latest show, Funny Boy, opened and closed on the same night. Already reduced to getting financed via dubious quid pro quo encounters with wealthy, horny old women, Bialystock faces complete ruin after this last bomb. 

His young, nervous accountant, Leo Bloom, comes in to audit Bialystock’s books and offhandedly comments that it would be more lucrative to have an over-invested show fail than to have it succeed. A light-bulb goes on above Bialystock’s head and he enlists Bloom in a scheme: they are going to put on the worse possible show ever and make a fortune. 

Their search for a truly awful script leads them to a deranged ex-Nazi soldier, Franz Leibkind, who has written a tribute musical to his beloved führer – Springtime for Hitler. Despite both being Jewish, Bialystock and Bloom swear an oath of allegiance to Hitler and don swastikas to secure the script, then set about getting the worst cast and crew they can find. 

When flamboyant but abysmal director, Roger de Bris, comes on board, bringing his motley stage crew with him, the show seems destined for failure. But alas, somehow, inexplicably, Springtime for Hitler is a resounding success … and that means ruin for Bialystock and Bloom. 

The Hayes Theatre Company works its usual magic with this perennially popular musical, taking a Vegas-sized show, shrinking it down to their humble 111-seat theatre and still making it feel big and ostentatious. 

Anton Berezin is perfectly cast as the obnoxious Bialystock, bringing bucketfuls of energy and personality to the stage. Des Flanagan plays Bialystock’s counterpart, Bloom with focused awkwardness and big-eyed naïveté. As Swedish blonde bombshell, Ulla, Alexandra Cashmere is vibrant and hilarious. 

Blake Erickson makes a magnificent entry, then continues to dazzle as outrageously dramatic and self-deluded director/performer, de Bris. His uber camp side kick/unconfirmed lover, Carmen Ghia, is played with ferocious flamboyance by Mikey Sakinofsky. 

Jordan Shea summons Benny Hill level slapstick with his over-the-top portrayal of mad Nazi scriptwriter, Franz Liebkind. 

The rest of the cast are brilliant in minor roles and as an ensemble. 

Nick Fry has designed a clever set with movable walls and little surprises (the dancing pigeons are a hoot!). Black walls are festooned with gold marquee-style signs, the titles of mock musicals that are Jewish puns of actual musicals. Props and furniture are minimal, with location and mood being affected by Ryan McDonald’s lighting design. 

Costumes by Benedict Janeczko-Taylor are intuitive, helping establish character before a word is even spoken. Choreography is excellent. Shannon Burns fills the restricted stage with comfortable, broad movement and very entertaining routines. 

Julia Robertson does a great directing job, keeping the pace fast while allowing room for timing-based humour, characterisation and audience connection. 

Mel Brooks is talented and very witty, but has always been divisive, frequently opting for edgy, sometimes crass humour. The vintage of The Producers means some of the content has not aged well, but the cast’s obvious awareness of this just makes it even funnier. 

Read: Exhibition review: Floribunda, Bunjil Place

This is a truly entertaining, hilarious show in a wonderful little theatre. 

The Producers, Hayes Theatre
Writers: Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan
Director Julia Robertson
Choreographer: Shannon Burns
Music Director: Osibi Akerejola
Set Designer: Nick Fry
Lighting Designer: Ryan McDonald
Costume Designer: Benedict Janeczko-Taylor
Sound Designer: Zac Saric
Assistant Director: Mym Kwa
Assistant Music Director: Mitchell Brown
Assistant Producer: Mariah Gonzalez
Cast: Anton Berezin, Des Flanagan, Alexandra Cashmere, Blake Erickson, Jordan Shea, Mikey Sakinofsky, Wendy-Lee Purdy, Spencer Cliff, Clancy Enchelmaier, Genevieve Goldman, Joshua Gordon, Ashton Lash, Joe Meldrum and Paloma Renouf

The Producers will be performed until 27 April before touring to Riverside Theatres from 15-18 May.