Review: The Producers (UK Tour) at the Churchill Theatre Bromley

The Producers (UK Tour)
Churchill Theatre Bromley
Reviewed on Wednesday 11th March 2015
★★★★

Fourteen years after it first opened on Broadway, Mel Brooks' musical The Producers is back with a new UK tour directed by Top Hat's Matthew White. The show sees producers Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom launching a dodgy scheme to make money by producing a Broadway flop. Surprisingly things don't to plan and the pair encounter one or two 'eccentric' characters along the way.

Sneak peek at... The Producers UK Tour starring Jason Manford

Production images have been released for UK Tour of The Producers which officially opens in Bromley tonight (11th March 2015). Check out the pictures below (click image to enlarge).

The musical stars Jason Manford as Leo Bloom, Cory English as Max Bialystock, Tiffany Graves as Ulla, David Bedella as Roger De Bris and Louie Spence as Carmen Ghia (until 2 May). Ross Noble and Phill Jupitus alternate the role of Franz Liebkind. 

Abigail Brodie, Jaye Elster, Rebecca Fennelly, Olivia Fines, Andrew Gordon-Watkins, Fenton Gray, Aime Hodnett, Paul Hutton, Nia Jermin, Joel Montague, Genevieve Nicole, Tosh Wanogho-Maud, Jay Webb, Russell Wilcox and Aron Wild complete the cast. 

GOSSIP: Could The Producers transfer to the West End in the Autumn?

During an interview with Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford on ITV's This Morning earlier today (24th Feb), Jason Manford revealed that The Producers could transfer to the West End in the Autumn.

Manford (pictured right) plays Leo Bloom in the musical which begins a new UK Tour next month in Bromley.

The comedian, who made his West End debut as Pirelli in Sweeney Todd, said, "We finish mid-July doing the regions and then we're off, hopefully, to the West End in the Autumn."

The cast of The Producers also includes: Cory English as Max Bialystock, Tiffany Graves as Ulla, David Bedella as Roger De Bris and Louie Spence as Carmen Ghia (until 2 May). Ross Noble and Phill Jupitus alternate the role of Franz Liebkind.

Full casting confirmed for The Producers 2015 UK Tour

Full casting has been announced for the 2015 UK Tour of The Producers which begins in March.

The cast is led by Jason Manford as as Leo Bloom. Broadway and West End star Cory English reprises his role as Max Bialystock. Tiffany Graves joins the company as Ulla.

Ross Noble and Phill Jupitus share the role of Franz Liebkind. Olivier Award winning actor David Bedella (pictured right) will play Roger De Bris. Renowned dancer, choreographer and television personality Louie Spence plays Carmen Ghia (until 2 May).

Interview: Matthew White

Matthew White is currently starring in the first London revival of Bat Boy. The musical begins performances at the Southwark Playhouse tonight (9th January) and runs until Saturday 31st January 2015.

Bat Boy was inspired by an article run by American tabloid The Weekly World News; a paper of fabricated stories that many unsuspecting readers believed to be real. The musical won New York’s Outer Critics Circle and Lucille Lortel Awards for Best Off-Broadway Musical in 2001. It received its UK premiere in 2004 at West Yorkshire Playhouse prior to a West End run at the Shaftesbury Theatre.

Matthew’s theatre credits include Ragtime (Piccadilly, Olivier Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor), Chicago (Adelphi), The Phantom of the Opera (Her Majesty’s), Kiss of the Spider Woman (Shaftesbury) and Les Misérables (Palace). 

Matthew is also a hugely successful director. His work includes: Top Hat (Aldwych/UK Tour), Sweet Charity (Menier Chocolate Factory/Theatre Royal, Haymarket) and Little Shop of Horrors (Menier Chocolate Factory/Duke of York’s Theatre). He is also directing the upcoming UK Tour of The Producers starring Jason Manford, Louie Spence and Ross Noble.

I recently spoke to Matthew about what people can expect from Bat Boy and what first attracted him to the production as well as Top Hat’s huge success and why he’s so thrilled to be directing The Producers…

Over recent years you have been best known for your work as a director, so what attracted you to starring in Bat Boy?

Well I have never actually given up acting, I’ve always carried on doing it – just maybe not in a very high profile way. I thought Bat Boy was a fascinating piece, I didn’t know it very well. I liked the character, Dr Parker. He’s pretty dark and I generally tend to be drawn to darker characters… I don’t really know why [laughs]. I really like the Southwark Playhouse, I love these smaller fringe venues that are popping up around London. They tend to put on some really good stuff. I just thought it would be a nice job and it’s just a short contract which, for me, works really well. So it appealed to me on lots of different levels, plus I recently saw Luke’s production of Carousel and thought he looked like an interesting young director to work with!

Ross Noble joins cast of The Producers 2015 UK Tour

It has been announced that Ross Noble (pictured right) will make his musical theatre debut in the 2015 UK Tour of The Producers. He joins the previously announced Jason Manford and Louie Spence.

Noble joins the cast of The Producers from Monday 18th May as Franz Liebkind; the short fused, carrier pigeon keeping, former Nazi, brought on board by Max Bialystok and Leo Bloom (Jason Manford) to help them in their plot to put on the worst musical of all time.

Ross Noble has been performing as a stand-up comedian since the age of 15. He has unveiled a new sell-out show every year for the last 15 years. He joins The Producers fresh from his UK and Australian tour Tangentleman.

Noble said: "I am very excited about appearing in The Producers. I am a huge fan of the show and for anyone who loves comedy, the chance to perform the work of Mel Brooks is amazing!"

Louie Spence joins Jason Manford in 2015 UK Tour of The Producers

It has been announced that Louie Spence will star in the 2015 UK Tour of The Producers. He joins the previously announced Jason Manford. 

The UK Tour begins performances at the Churchill Theatre in Bromley on Friday 6th March 2015. Spence will play Carmen Ghia (Roger De Bris’ flamboyant assistant) until Saturday 2nd May.

Discussing his new role, Spence said: "I cannot wait to get into rehearsal and in theatres across the country with The Producers, I’m hugely excited to be part of the company and to be working with such an incredible creative team."

Manford, who plays downtrodden accountant Leo Bloom, said: "I've worked with Louie a few times and I literally couldn't think of a performer more suited to play Carmen Ghia. He's a fantastic dancer and he knows how to get the laughs."

CONFIRMED: Jason Manford stars in UK Tour of The Producers

It has been confirmed that comedian Jason Manford will star in a brand new UK Tour of The Producers. 

Based on Mel Brooks’ beloved Academy Award winning movie, The Producers is described as "a hilarious musical comedy". The show famously ran in the West End and on Broadway to tremendous acclaim, It won a record-breaking 12 Tony Awards and 3 Olivier Awards. The UK Tour begins performances at the Churchill Theatre in Bromley on Friday 6th March 2015.

Manford said; “I’m so thrilled to be starring in my favourite musical of all time. Mel Brooks is a genius and I’m so excited to be playing the iconic role he created. The show is a riot of laughs from start to finish.”