By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHEN? Saturday 18 October, runs through 19 September 2026 RUNTIME: 150 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

We reviewed this revival of the Mel Brooks-written classic at the Menier Chocolate Factory last year and brought friends who’d never seen it to its West End transfer.

• Read on for reasons including how Brooks virgins will be seduced by this marvellous musical comedy

They weren’t quite sure what to expect but loved how The Producers is fearless at poking fun and pricking the pomposity of all its intended targets including some with a fondness for theatricality we might include ourselves in.

Understudy Olly Christopher filled the shoes ably of Marc Antolin (The Band’s Visit, Donmar, pictured right below) as accountant Leo Bloom who tells Andy Nyman’s (film Wicked, pictured left below) producers could make more from a flop than a hit and soon the unlikely bromantic 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.

This production has kept much of its Menier cast and we see it shortly after news it had been extended for more than 6 months to September 2026, meaning it will have been running for over a year at this gorgeous venue at its current intended close.

The failure of Bialystock’s take on Hamlet – titled Funny Boy – opens the show 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.

We’ve fond memories of 1 of our heroes Nathan Lane reprising his role as Bialystock in the movie version of this musical onstage at Theatre Royal Drury Lane in 2005 but Nyman’s take is more down-at-heel and therefore understated as a result which makes the ludicrous nature of the plot even funnier.

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.

Patrick Marber (Nachtland, Young Vic) has cast for musical theatre quality ahead of star names and Nyman has the chutzpah 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 suitably over-the-top number Springtime For Hitler.

The sense of humour is bawdy and 1 of our friends wonders how their more sensitive children might view some of the scenes here which poke fun at, in no particular order and far from exclusively, theatrical types, homosexuality, the sex drives of older women, Jews and the lasciviousness of men.

Nyman featured memorably in film Wicked last year as we saw the Menier production and we’re not sure whether he returns for its much-anticipated sequel this month but we do hope so.

As well as Lane’s starring role in the Theatre Royal Drury Lane production in 2004, we also saw it in Spanish in 2023 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.

Luckily this production is both adequately and overly endowed and we think this is London’s funniest comedy of the moment.

• Main pictures by Manuel Harlan via The Producers courtesy Nimax Theatres Tickets
• Have you seen a Mel Brooks film/show before and what did you think of this 1? Let us know what you thought in the comments below
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