The Producers

This was a brilliant production!  For any amateur musical theatre company to put on a show of such quality is very demanding and Centre Stage Company, the performing arm of HDOS, certainly stepped up to the mark with Mel Brooks' multi-award winning musical comedy "The Producers".

The professionalism of the production team shone through and they must be congratulated on creating such a lavish and exciting show, full of vitality and humour.  With a cast of just 23 very talented performers, Chris Lines as guest Director, assisted by NIck Selin, Karen Chinery as Musical Director, with her well-disciplined band of musicians and Sue Webber and Daisy Webb as choreographers, had produced an outstanding production.

The simple set, devised by Chris Lines, with double rostra at the back of the stage, accessed from each side and four gothic-style columns set against a black backcloth, with large projection screen for visuals, provided the maximum space for performance of the big production numbers.  Black side flats were used as additional entrances and exits.  Minimal props, well-managed by the stage crew under the leadership of Derek Snell, were used to denote the various scenes (and there are many in this production) and this ensured that the pace was relentless throughout.  There was a slight technical hitch with some of the projected images in the early stages of the performance, but this did little to detract from the overall visual effect. There was a nice contrast in the second Act, when the side flats had been changed from black to white.

No expense had been spared with the costumes, sourced by Jan Davidson and Debbie Corsby. The gorgeous show-girl outfits were to die for and the dancers certainly knew how to strut their stuff and create a visually spectacular feast of feathers, frills and sequins combined with clever choreography.

And where do I begin with accolades for the cast?  There are six main characters who carry the story along, each vital to the plot and, without exception, these were brilliantly portrayed.  They were strongly supported by the Talented Ensemble (quote from the programme) who between them played all the other characters; the first-night audiences, the "little old lady brigade" (Max's sex-crazy investors complete with zimmer frames), judge and jury, chorus and numerous other cameo roles, which meant several quick changes of costume.

As fading "King of Broadway" producer Max Bialystock, Andy Letcher provided us with a wonderfully energetic and humourous characterisation, coping extremely well, despite a throat infection, with the vocal numbers, particularly the patter number "Betrayed".  He was admirably supported by Tom Ogden as his reluctant partner in crime, down-trodden and mousey accountant Leo Bloom, as they plan to find the worst play ever written, hire the worst director and actors to guarantee a box office flop and then flee to Rio with the 2 million dollars invested by Max's army of little old ladies.  They are aided and abetted by Ulla, a would-be starlet, who is employed as their secretary and who ultimately falls in love with Leo - an exhilarating performance here from Kelly Mepham with her musical number "When You Got It, Flaunt It".

Another amazing performance came from Ian Davison as the mad Nazi, Hitler worshipping, script-writer of the "Springtime for Hitler" musical play.  The scene on the rooftop of his apartment building, complete with his sychronizing homing pigeons, was hilarious.  So too was the introduction to the worst director, Roger De Bris, well-played by Adam Mepham flamboyantly dressed in evening gown and head-dress depicting the Chrysler building, assisted by his life partner Carmen Ghia - a deliciously camp performance here from young Maximillian Murphy.

All-in-all, this was a truly remarkable performance, appreciated by the supportive audience, though sadly lacking in numbers.  Thank you, Centre Stagers, for a great evening's entertainment!

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