MickeyJoTheatre: The Producers (Garrick Theatre, West End) - ★★★★ REVIEW
Host: Mickey Jo
Release Date: September 22, 2025
Episode Overview
In this episode, Mickey Jo offers an in-depth review of the latest West End revival of Mel Brooks’ The Producers, which recently opened at the Garrick Theatre after originating at the Menier Chocolate Factory. Known for his vibrant, honest theatre criticism, Mickey Jo dissects the new production's casting, direction, design, and its handling of the musical's famously provocative material. He provides context for the show's history, analyzes whether the changes made in this revival succeed, and sprinkles in his signature humor and candid observations throughout.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Context and Anticipation for the Revival (06:11—09:30)
- Legacy of The Producers:
- The show is a "musical stage adaptation of the Mel Brooks film, well-known for its comedic and occasionally shocking material."
- The original Susan Stroman-directed Broadway production "was one of the first really huge Broadway hits of the 21st Century" starring Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick, and "is remembered as one of the great Broadway musical comedies."
- Mickey Jo: “...being a Mel Brooks written show, it is also one which pre the Book of Mormon is known for a certain quantity of shock value.” [07:56]
- Personal Connection:
- Mickey Jo saw a previous UK touring version and performed in an amateur production. "It's one reasonably close to my heart.” [08:32]
- Curiosity About Marber's Direction:
- The revival's announcement “deeply curious and perhaps even a little bit concerned” given the bold, stark advertising and choice of Patrick Marber—a director more known for serious plays.
- “Was deeply curious, especially when it was revealed that Patrick Marber was going to be directing…this I believe is conspicuously his very first musical.” [09:34]
2. The Plot and Signature Comedy (09:30—13:10)
- Plot Summary:
- Story follows Max Bialystok, an unsuccessful Broadway producer, and accountant Leo Bloom, who together plot to purposefully produce a flop to scam investors.
- Unique Challenge:
- The material is exaggerated, self-referential, and “makes inside industry jokes pre something rotten, pre Spamalot.” [10:39]
- On modern sensibilities: “Lots to consider and today I'm going to be bringing you my verdict...” [08:23]
3. Design and Direction Choices (11:33—14:20)
- Production Design:
- “Costumes by Paul Farnsworth and a set design by Scott Pask, which is fairly minimal and sits, for what it's worth, far better on the Garrick stage than it did at the Menier.” [12:15]
- The updated set, “stripped-back, with a sort of scaffolding backdrop... it creates a feeling that is freer, faster, and funnier.”
- Tone Shift:
- Direction preserves the comedy while carving out “maybe like 5% more depth, moments of added sincerity... not reinventing the wheel... but definitely changed a tire or two.” [12:52]
- “We do get a sense of a Max and a Leo that are still cartoonish but have just a shred more humanity.” [13:04]
4. Performance Analysis (14:24—23:31)
- Andy Nyman as Max Bialystok:
- “Andy Nyman is such sensationally great casting for Max because he has an innate understanding of the Mel Brooks of it all and that humor. He's nothing like Nathan Lane, which I think is important… He combines that knowledge...with this little sparkle in the eye...slightly bittersweet quality.” [14:33]
- Mark Antlin as Leo Bloom:
- Mark’s Leo is “a very skilled dancer... with moments added for Leo to really dance—...very La La Land, invoking a whole handful of classic musical theater references.” [16:14]
- “He is a Leo throughout the show who gets very emancipated by it all...a real transformation.” [16:49]
- Joanna Woodward as Ulla:
- “Joanna Zula struck me very much as feeling like a meeting between Marilyn Monroe and Lucille Ball, which I think is a great sort of alchemy for that character.” [18:29]
- Her background in cabaret and burlesque “really emerges in her Oola.” [17:54]
- Harry Morrison as Franz Liebkind:
- “Terrific commitment and a wonderfully silly accent and characterization.”
- Trevor Ashley as Roger De Bris:
- “Gives this scene-stealing performance in a very scene-stealing role...the kind of natural comedic confidence that you would associate with a terrific drag host.” [19:37]
- Roger’s Hitler is “an overt reference in the costuming and in the wig choice...really becomes a drag performance...is a glorious moment to watch.” [20:53]
- Raj Ghatak as Carmen Ghia:
- “If Raj were to twist the whole thing up to 11, it would be a little bit out of step with the other performances...but still enjoyed Raj's performance very much.” [21:43]
5. Innovations, Edits, and Satires (24:04—33:55)
- Visual and Staging Changes:
- Noteworthy: “Tap dancing swastika arms” in Springtime for Hitler, and the “statue portrayed by an actual member of the ensemble...isn't quite sure what to do with himself. That's a very funny little touch.” [24:28]
- “Pigeons in the Franz Liebkind scene are puppeteered by performers sort of wearing all black morph suits... there's a great amount of pigeon comedy happening just sort of sprinkled throughout the show.” [25:03]
- Script Tweaks & Modernization:
- Some jokes and lyrics updated for appropriateness:
- “There's a black Irish joke at the end that I think is never going to play well in the UK...They still do the line... they just don't say the punchline.” [25:45]
- “Lyric change...now sing dancers who are drastic rather than an outdated offensive term...” [26:00]
- Cut or changed certain audition gags (“Jacques Leopardieu” joke omitted).
- Discusses the problematic “Shirley Markowitz” character and suggests ways the moment could evolve: “there are better ways to realize it...have her come in as a human being...rather than doing this ridiculously low, like, 'keep it gay’...I just think it's gross. I don't like the direction that it's punching in.” [27:20]
- Some jokes and lyrics updated for appropriateness:
- Political Satire and Context:
- On the show’s handling of Nazi jokes:
- “It's so clearly a satire and a parody and a send up, the likes of which have been done now so many more times...I don't think it reads that way [as offensive] whatsoever.” [28:07]
- On Roger’s “Springtime for Hitler”:
- “For Roger to be able to go full Judy Garland, it has to be written that way...you have Roger dressed as Hitler as Caesar being wheeled on in a golden chariot. And it means we don't quite get that initial moment of what the audience is supposed to be horrified by before Roger makes it camp. Because now it's just campy from the very beginning...” [29:49]
- On the show’s handling of Nazi jokes:
6. Final Thoughts and Takeaways (32:38—34:20)
- On Modernizing a Classic:
- “I really enjoyed this production...it's really encouraging to...blow a little bit of dust off of them and be able to find new ways to put them back on stage so that audiences of today and of the future can continue to enjoy them in new ways.” [32:35]
- “In the face of the dire political circumstances in which we find ourselves in the world right now, making jokes about their obvious lunacy is not the worst thing to be seeing on stage.” [33:15]
- Call for Audience Engagement:
- “If you have been one of those audiences and you have seen this production at the Menier Chocolate Factory or at the Garrick Theatre, let us all know what you thought in the comments section down below.” [33:54]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On Direction and Tone:
- "We're not reinventing the wheel when it comes to The Producers here, but we've definitely changed a tire or two, if that makes sense. The whole thing still reaches the same top speed..." —Mickey Jo [12:57]
- On Andy Nyman as Max:
- “He combines that knowledge of the tone and that understanding of the material and his brilliant comic instincts...with this little sparkle in the eye quality that indicates just a shred of heartbreak.” [14:55]
- On Comedy in the Face of Satire:
- “It's so clearly a satire and a parody and a send up, the likes of which have been done now so many more times. I think audiences either already know what The Producers is and are anticipating that, or understand because of how ridiculous Springtime for Hitler is in this version...” [28:07]
- On the Value of Revivals:
- “While we're always going to have a tremendous amount of reverence for great Broadway and West End hits that happened in the past, it's really encouraging to be able to blow a little bit of dust off of them and be able to find new ways to put them back on stage…” [32:48]
Timestamps for Important Segments
- 06:11 — Legacy and overview of The Producers
- 09:30 — Plot, early concerns about Marber's direction
- 12:15 — Production design and staging
- 14:24 — Cast and character analysis begins
- 19:37 — Trevor Ashley as Roger De Bris and show-within-a-show
- 24:04 — Innovations in staging and visual gags
- 25:45 — Modernization and script tweaks for cultural sensitivity
- 27:20 — Handling of controversial material
- 29:49 — Satirizing Hitler in "Springtime for Hitler"
- 32:38 — Final thoughts on the revival and its importance
Summary
Mickey Jo crafts an engaging, thorough review of the Garrick Theatre's new staging of The Producers, mixing enthusiastic praise—especially for the fresh, humane performances and bold direction—with insightful critique about where modernization strengthens or slightly blunts the show's original comedic edge. Ultimately, he celebrates the revitalization of a musical comedy classic, championing its relevance and enduring power to amuse and provoke. The episode is both a valuable guide for theatre fans considering the show and a thoughtful reflection on how iconic material can, and sometimes should, be adapted for contemporary audiences.