The Producers at Riverside Theatres

They picked the wrong play; the wrong director; the wrong cast… Where did they go right?

Bialystock and Bloom! Those names strike terror and hysteria into anyone familiar with Mel Brooks’ classic cult-comedy film, or the smash-hit, record-breaking Broadway musical it inspired.

Blazing the trail for a new kind of modern, outrageous, in-your-face musical comedy,The Producerswon a record 12 Tony Awards. Due to popular demand, the show comes to Riverside direct from Hayes Theatre!

The plot is simple: a down-on-his-luck Broadway producer and a mild-mannered accountant come up with a scheme to produce the most notorious flop in history – thereby swindling their backers (all ‘little old ladies’) out of millions of dollars. Only one thing goes wrong – the show becomes a smash hit. The antics of Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom as they manoeuvre their way fecklessly through finding the ‘perfect’ show (the gloriously offensive Springtime for Hitler), hiring the ‘ideal’ director, raising the money, and finally getting their comeuppance is a masterclass in comedy construction. And at the core of this insanely funny adventure is the heartfelt emotional journey of two very different people who up-end each other’s lives, and – against all odds – become friends.

With a truly hysterical book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan (Annie), and music and lyrics by Brooks himself, The Producers takes no prisoners in skewering classic Broadway – and creates a new Broadway classic in the process.

Joshua Robson Productions sold out their 5-week season at Hayes Theatre before they even opened, so there is no doubt in their mind that these shows will sell quicker than toilet paper during lockdowns.

Currently leading the cast in the iconic roles of the hilariously desperate Broadway producerMax Bialystockand his delightfully meek accountant Leo Bloom areAnton Berezin(The Phantom of the Opera, Evita)andDes Flanagan (Moulin Rouge! The Musical). They are joined by newcomerAlexandra Cashmerewho sizzles as the glamorous Ulla. Together, they take the audience on a wild ride as Bialystock and Bloom attempt the biggest con in Broadway history, producing a sure fire flop to pocket investors’ money.