The Producers @ Leeds Grand Theatre

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The Grand Theatre has done it again! Following the fluffy fun of last week’s Jeeves & Wooster, comes another cheerful feel-good piece of touring theatre. This adaptation of the Mel Brooks film is all-singing, all-dancing, with an ensemble performance that reaches over and above the high bar set by the West End and Broadway.
The fact that this is so successful is ironic, given that the subject of its implausible plot is the staging of a real turkey of a show on Broadway that actually aims to be an instant flop. This will allow the producers (Leo Bloom and Max Bialystock) to run off to Rio with the investors’ money.
However, in this comic caper, neither of the leads become millionaires. But Leo (played by Jason Manford as a shy caterpillar transforming into a social butterfly) does fulfil his ambition of being a producer. And Max (with some great comic timing and physical comedy from Cory English) finds out what true friendship is.

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Tiffany Graves, as love interest Ulla, plays a seriously sexy blonde bombshell with great stage presence and a canny voice too (she’s no dumb blonde). And as Roger de Bris, David Bedella is given carte blanche to camp it up as New York’s worst director (but here bad is good) and his sidekick Carmen Ghia is also played with much exaggerated mincing by Stephane Anelli. Ross Noble gives a stand-out performance as Franz Liebkind, quite simply showstopping as he goosesteps his way about stage, depicting a crazy crypto-Fascist playwright.
Lee Proud’s choreography is second to none with a real sense of using the stage space to full effect and Andrew Hilton as Musical Director is simply superb, even playing a small cameo role when Franz is auditioning as Hitler. It is the songs that are the real strength of the show, right from the dynamic intro of ‘Opening Night’ through the slapstick of ‘Der Güten Tag Hop-Clop’ to Ulla’s saucy and sexy ‘When You Got It, Flaunt It’ and right up to the final ‘Goodbye!’
Paul Farnsworth’s costumes are to die for, with an outrageously outré dress for introducing Roger, and glitzy sparkling outfits for the show-within-a-show. And for this satirical spectacle his set is at its best when overwhelmed with swastikas. When the spangled curtain comes down we are left with a sunny smile after a series of uproarious ribticklers and a fair few bellywobblers too. Watch out, such hilarity is contagious!

Runs at Leeds Grand Theatre from 8 to 13 June.

Review: Rich Jevons

Photos: Manuel Harlen