The Producers Revival Opens at London’s Menier Chocolate Factory

The Menier Chocolate Factory welcomes a highly anticipated revival of The Producers, with performances beginning tonight. This marks the first major London revival of Mel Brooks’ iconic musical since its original West End run, and the production will play until 1 March 2025, with its official opening night scheduled for 9 December 2024.

Based on Brooks’ classic 1967 film, The Producers follows the outrageous misadventures of two scheming producers who attempt to make their fortune by staging a Broadway flop. With music and lyrics by Brooks and a book co-written by Brooks and Thomas Meehan, the show is widely regarded as one of the funniest musicals of all time.

The Menier revival is directed by Tony Award-winner Patrick Marber (Leopoldstadt), bringing fresh vision to the beloved show. The cast is led by Andy Nyman as the conniving Max Bialystock and Marc Antolin as his nervous partner, Leo Bloom.

Joining them are Trevor Ashley (Les Misérables, Seriously Red) as flamboyant director Roger De Bris, Raj Ghatak (The Father and the Assassin, Life of Pi) as his assistant Carmen Ghia, Harry Morrison (Beetlejuice, The Third Man) as eccentric playwright Franz Liebkind, and Joanna Woodward (The Time Traveller’s Wife: The Musical, Merrily We Roll Along) as the vivacious Ulla.

The ensemble features Jermaine Woods, Nolan Edwards, Charis Alexandra, Michael Franks, Matt Gillett, Leah Harris, Hana Ichijo, Esme Kennedy, Josh Kiernan, Alex Lodge, Kelsie-Rae Marshall, and Chloe Saunders.

The production’s creative team includes Lorin Latarro (choreography), Scott Pask (set design), Paul Farnsworth (costume design), Richard Howell (lighting design), and Niamh Gaffney and Terry Jardine for Autograph (sound design). Musical supervision is by Gareth Valentine, with Matthew Samer as musical director and orchestrations by Larry Blank and Mark Cumberland.

This revival of The Producers promises to deliver the same blend of outrageous comedy, infectious songs, and dazzling performances that have made it a Broadway and West End favorite. Tickets are on sale now for this limited engagement at the Menier Chocolate Factory.