By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHEN?: Saturday 30 November 2024 (matinee), opens 9 December and runs through 1 March 2025 RUNTIME: 170 minutes (including interval) Update: Transfers to the Garrick 30 August 2025 through 21 February 2026 Tickets

Our companion whispers: ‘This is brilliant!’ in our ear at the end of 2nd song The King Of Old Broadway as Andy Nyman (film Wicked (Part 1) as down-on-his-luck producer Max Bialystock makes us forget we saw Nathan Lane (Angels In America, National Theatre) in the role in London’s West End.

• Read on for reasons including how this was the funniest show our companion had seen for at least 10 years

The Menier has a reputation for hothousing musical revivals before West End transfers and we’ve fond memories of sitting in the front row seats we’re occupying here to see Sheridan Smith multiple times at this very venue in 2015 and 2016 for Funny Girl.

The failure of Bialystock’s take on Hamlet – titled Funny Boy – opens the show with the ensemble joining us from the aisles in the stalls at this intimate 180-seater venue but it’s when Bialystock appears onstage grimacing over the reviews while sitting on the toilet that we know we’re in safe and hilarious hands.

Mel Brooks (Young Frankenstein, Garrick Theatre) won a Best Screenplay Oscar for the original 1967 film of The Producers and explains in the programme: ‘When I was starting out in New York, I knew a couple of Broadway producers who figured out that sometimes you could make more money with a flop than a hit.’

Bialystock meets Marc Antolin’s (The Band’s Visit, Donmar) accountant Leo Bloom who confirms this for him and soon the duo are on the lookout for the worst script, the most appalling director and the least talented cast to put it on to make their fortune.

The duo find Harry Morrison’s budding author Franz Liebkind and inspired by his Nazi tribute – Springtime For Hitler: A Gay Romp with Adolf and Eva at Berchtesgaden – they persuade him to let them produce it for him on Broadway despite the hilarious warnings of the ensemble wearing puppet pigeons adorned with swastikas who seem to be cooing the word ‘Jew’ at him.

As well as Lane’s starring role in the Theatre Royal Drury Lane production in 2004, we also saw it in Spanish last year in Barcelona and we’ve no doubt that this is 5* material which needs a cast and director of exceptional quality to get the very brilliant best from the source material.

Patrick Marber (Nachtland, Young Vic) has cast for musical theatre quality ahead of star names and Nyman and Antolin have the ability to make this comic gold shine while the ensemble is also outstanding particularly during Keep It Gay when the desperate duo attempt to convince camp director Roger De Bris to helm their work. A shout out to Trevor Ashley as the director who was especially good and made the most of Springtime For Hitler.

Our companion has tears of joy streaking across his face at this show’s close and says it’s the best thing he’s seen on any stage in at least the last decade while the entire audience rose as 1 at its finish to give it a standing ovation.

As we write, this production’s entire run has sold out so do grab your chance to see it if you can get a return or if it extends but we really think it deserves a West End transfer.

• Main pictures via Facebook courtesy Menier Chocolate Factory Tickets
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