‘I stated there was no cause to make it a musical!’ Mel Brooks on The Producers’ West Finish switch | Theatre

The Menier Chocolate Manufacturing unit has introduced that its acclaimed manufacturing of The Producers is to switch to the West Finish this autumn. Having bought out its three-month run on the 180-seat London venue earlier than first evening, it’s set to maneuver to the Garrick theatre. However in accordance with its authentic creator Mel Brooks, the musical may by no means have occurred in any respect.

The 98-year-old Brooks has advised the Guardian he was initially reluctant to adapt his 1967 film for the stage. Solely via the persistence of a producer did he relent.

“David Geffen referred to as me on daily basis. I stated, ‘David, it’s a wonderfully good little film. I received the Academy Award for my screenplay. It’s been honoured and saluted sufficient. There’s no cause to make it a musical.’ Then the subsequent day, he referred to as me once more. He by no means stopped calling me. And at last, I stated, ‘Properly, he’s not a dumb man, so possibly there’s something.’”

Opening on Broadway in 2001, The Producers went on to win 12 Tonys. The New York Occasions referred to as it a “sublimely ridiculous spectacle” – a sentiment echoed by UK critics in 2004 and once more when director Patrick Marber staged the primary main London revival final yr.

“Marber is a terrific director and is ideal for it,” stated Brooks, who co-wrote the present with the late Thomas Meehan. Brooks additionally wrote the rating, that includes Springtime for Hitler.

“Tom was candy as sugar and really correct versus me who was very improper. In jokes and language, I used to be the unhealthy boy. I’m blamed for all that semi-dirty stuff, however that was actually secretly Tom Meehan – I’m spilling the beans!”

The manufacturing will switch to the Garrick theatre, the place the writer’s horror spoof, Younger Frankenstein, picked up five-star opinions in 2017. Staying with the present are key forged members Marc Antolin, Trevor Ashley, Raj Ghatak, Andy Nyman, Harry Morrison and Joanna Woodward.

“I’m very happy with that manufacturing on the Chocolate Manufacturing unit and I’m so glad we’re going again to the Garrick,” stated Brooks.

In Marber’s manufacturing, Nyman performs Max Bialystock, a failing impresario who units out to stage a Broadway flop. He and his accountant, Leopold Bloom (Antolin), rent a neo-Nazi playwright, an incompetent director and a ineffective lead actor within the hope of closing the present and maintaining their buyers’ cash. They assume no viewers would tolerate a sympathetic paean to Hitler and would have it shut down, clearing the best way for them to make their fortune.

Brooks, who was born in 1926 and served as a fight engineer within the second world struggle (“I principally ducked”), has seen practically a century’s value of authoritarian rulers come and go. “I just like the ‘come and go’ – particularly the go,” he joked.

Now he lives in a rustic the place Nazi salutes seem to have been given at giant political rallies. “It’s one thing we hope will go and go its manner, identical to Hitler and his folks did go their manner.”

He stated he believes laughter is a strong weapon towards tyranny. “They’re gifted with a form of flagrant rhetoric, however when you make enjoyable of them and also you drag them down with comedy, you win. When you will get folks to giggle at them, you win.”

It’s an angle formed by his expertise as a younger man performing comedy routines at Jewish resorts within the Catskill mountains. “We who’ve labored within the borscht belt know that comedy is the reply. It’s magical, it pays the hire and likewise we study stealing as a result of we steal jokes from one another – recklessly, not even eager about it.”

Public reserving for The Producers opens on 5 March. Previews run from 30 August and reserving will run to 21 February 2026.