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| Jason Benson (Leo Bloom) - Daryl Somers (Max Bialystock) |
Directed by
Rachael Beck – Musical Direction by Ewan
Choreographed
by Rachel Thornton – Costumes designed by Susan Cooper
Presented by
Dramatic Productions
Gungahlin
Theatre October 11th to 26th 2019
.
Reviewed by
Bill Stephens
Over the
past few years Dramatic Productions have been attracting audiences to the
Gungahlin Theatre with inventive productions of rarely seen musicals, among
them, “Into the Woods”, “Catch Me If You Can” and “Heathers”. This spirited production
of the Mel Brooks musical “The Producers” is perhaps its best yet.
A wicked
satire of one of America’s most beloved institutions, “The Producers” follows the travails of failed Broadway producer, Max
Bialystock, ,who together with his protégé Leo Bloom, decide to produce the
worst show on Broadway, in a misguided attempt to make a fortune. The scheme fails when
the show unaccountably becomes a hit. Brook’s script is sly, vulgar, subversive
and deliciously funny, packed with hilarious characters and tuneful songs.
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| Demi Smith (Ulla) - Daryl Somers (Max Bialystock) - Jason Benson (Leo Bloom) |
Directing
her first musical, Rachael Beck draws on her own extensive performing career in
musical theatre to create an astutely cast, effervescent and thoroughly
entertaining production which, despite the limited staging facilities of the
Gungahlin Theatre, still manages to achieve a professional gloss.
Attracting
television personality, Daryl Somers, to the role of the unscrupulous Broadway
producer, Max Bialystock, was a master stroke. In addition to his fame as a
television personality, Somers is an experienced stage performer, and revels in
this opportunity to create a thoroughly repulsive, but undeniably lovable
character. He has an unexpectedly fine singing voice, and his well-honed
comedic shtick is a joy throughout.
Inspired
casting among local performers has produced some memorable characterisations.
Among them, matching Somers every step of the way, Jason Bensen, lights up the stage with a very
funny, excellently sung and danced turn as
Bialystock’s gormless, but game, apprentice
producer, Leo Bloom.
Paul Sweeney
is a riot as Roger De Bris, the worst producer on Broadway, and Jake Fraser
steals every scene he’s in as De Bris’s prissy “common-law assistant. Demi
Smith as the Swedish bombshell, Ulla, provides plenty of sex-appeal with her
solo “When You’ve Got it, Flaunt It”.
Zack Drury
and his scene-stealing pigeons, as the mad German playwright, Franz Lie kind,
and David Cannell as Bloom’s boss-from-hell, Mr. Marks, both provide comedy
highlights.
Although the
uncluttered set design, with the help of some inventive scene changes, worked
well, additional glitz is needed to make
the otherwise well-staged “Springtime
For Hitler” number convincing as a Broadway show-stopper.
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| Demi Smith (Ulla) centre - Jason Bensen (Leo Bloom) and Old Ladies ensemble |
The energetic
ensemble, colourfully costumed by Susan Cooper, tackle Rachel Thornton’s
inventive choreography, which at one stage includes a revolving swastika, with
enthusiasm and flair, and Musical Director and conductor, Ewan, with his very fine orchestra successfully captures the
Broadway sound. All of which makes this
a memorable, “must see” production.
Photos by Janelle McMenamin
This review first published in the digital edition of CITY NEWS on 12th October 2019