The Producers

Music & Lyrics by Mel Brooks, Book by Mel Brooks & Tom Meehan
Directed & Choreographed by Susan Stroman

Review by Alan Bird
June 2003

Mel Brooks is surely the zaniest comic genius ever, and in the musical version of his hit movie �The Producers�, we see just how zany he really is. Who would have thought that a musical with the song �Spring Time for Hitler� would prove to be an all time Broadway classic!

The story concerns Max Bialystock a struggling Broadway producer and Leo Bloom a stage-struck accountant. These two men join forces in order to make mega-bucks by producing the worst musical ever seen on Broadway. When they receive a musical script from Franz Liebkind, a ex-nazi storm trooper, which tells the story of Hitler�s rise to power in song and dance, they are convinced that they have found a show that is guaranteed to offend just about everybody.

The musical has nazi arm-band wearing chickens, dancing storm troopers, dirty old ladies with euphemisms such as �Lick-me Bite-me� and �Hold-me, Touch-me�, a song with the refrain �Don�t be stupid / Be a smarty / Come and join the Nazi party!� And the marvellously scandalous closing number �Spring Time for Hitler�, which sees an outrageously camp Fuhrer take centre stage.

This musical is sure to offend anyone with out a funny bone and bring nothing but child-like glee to everyone else. To quote words from �Spring Time for Hitler�, the audience is sure to leave the theatre feeling �Happy and Gay�.

The Producers is an absolute must see!

(Alan Bird)

What the critics had to say when the show opened in 2001.....

BEN BRENTLEY of the NEW YORK TIMES says �It's fast, fierce, shameless, vulgar and altogether blissful.� JOHN LAHR of THE NEW YORKER says �Mel Brooks is back, mit a bing, mit a bang, mit a boom.� RICHARD ZONGLIN of TIME MAGAZINE says �What's not to love?� RICHARD CORLISS also of TIME MAGAZINE says �I wasn�t overwhelmed. Just�whelmed.� CLIVE BARNES of NY POST says �mammoth old-time Broadway hit� FRANK SCHECK of HOLLYWOOD REPORTER says �delirious a feeling as you'll ever experience in the theater.� HOWARD KISSEL of NY DAILY NEWS says �so much imagination, so much sheer pleasure.� ELYSA GARDNER of USA TODAY says �most raucous good time to be had.� MICHAEL SOMMERS of STAR-LEDGER says �it will split your ribs with mirth� ACQUES le SOURD of NY JOURNAL NEWS says �fresh blast of giddy triumph�

External links to full reviews from newspapers

New York Times
New York Post
Time Magazine