For over 40 years, St. James Players has been creating quality musical theatre that’s fun for the whole family. Always a crowd pleaser, St. James has a reputation for keeping it light or keeping it classical, and has never been known for taking risks. Well, get ready to rethink everything you thought you knew about the St. James Players.
Under the direction of Tim Jefferies, St. James boldly presents Mel Brooks’ Broadway blockbuster The Producers. Unlike anything that St. James Players have ever presented before, The Producers is definitely a real game changer for the beloved theatre company.
After their epic production of Les Misérables last fall, there’s no doubt that St. James Players had to follow up with something very different, and The Producers certainly fits that description. Like a demented journey through the insane side of the New York theatrical scene circa 1950, your cast of characters include a slimy Broadway producer, a neurotic accountant, a Swedish sex pot, a fifth columnist playwright, a flamboyantly gay director, a group of nymphomaniac grannies, and the most singing and dancing Nazis since Okotberfest of 1942.
Add some lavish musical numbers, a little bit of romance, a pinch of vulgarity and some truly memorable performances, and you have one of the gutsiest productions that St. James has ever put on the stage.
However, the secret to enjoying The Producers lies with individual audience members who need to decide if this sounds like the kind of show they are going to enjoy or not. The Producers isn’t going to be everybody’s cup of tea and it’s not appropriate family fare. On the flip side, the show is very good, excellently executed, and filled with standout performances.
Based on Mel Brooks’ classic 1968 film, The Producers was turned into a Broadway stage show in 2001 and went on to win a record 14 Tony Awards. The story revolves around down-and-out Broadway producer Max Bialystock (Darcy Mundle) and his meek accountant Leo Bloom (Nate Axcell) and their elaborate get-rich-quick scheme that involves producing the biggest bomb on Broadway ever.
After uncovering a musical titled Springtime for Hitler written by a young Nazi named Franz Liebkind (Andrew Little), the pair hires ostentatious director Roger De Bris (Keevin Carter) to carry out their plan. Of course, as in every great farce, that’s when everything goes wrong.
It’s a pleasure to see Darcy Mundle move into the leading role of Max Bialystock. After his standout performance in Cats last spring, Mundle proves he has the chops to take centre stage in a major musical. An incredible vocalist with a strong stage presence, Mundle is fantastic.
However, it takes a lot to make a character like Max Bialystock likeable. Slimy, greedy, misogynistic, and morally irredeemable, Max Bialystock isn’t a character you’re going to necessary want to see succeed in his underhanded schemes. However, Mundle has a personality that, perhaps, brings a tad bit of redemption to Bialystock. But what Bialystock may lack in likeability, Mundle makes up in his strong solo numbers “Along Came Bialy” and, possibly the cleverest number in the production, “Betrayed”.
But if the audience loathes Bialystock, they can’t help but love Nate Axcell as Leo Bloom. Bloom is a character you want to cheer for, and Axcell gives a friendly and lovable performance. Although some early moments of slapstick are somewhat overdone, Axcell does sweet and subtle very well, and creates a much-needed lovable hero the audience can cheer for. In over his head, Axcell becomes the anchor of the production.
Natalie Dorsett gives a delightful performance in a supporting role as Ulla, the pair’s Swedish secretary/leading lady. With wide-eyed enthusiasm and a personality brighter than any spotlight in Showplace, Dorsett is truly funny, a hell of a dancer, and gives the production’s strongest musical performance with “When You Got It, Flaunt It”. My goodness, Dorsette can belt it out! A sweet romantic sub-plot with Nate Axcell also softens some of the edge off of the scheme, making you want to see this trio win.
Andrew Little has a difficult job in the role of Franz Liebkind, as it takes real comedic talent to make a Nazi funny. Thankfully, Little is good at uncomfortable humour and he creates a complex character who can go from being scary and manic to delightfully hilarious, such as in his performance of “Haben Sie Gehört Das Deutsches Band?”. Friendly and charismatic, Little does a decent job creating a Nazi you don’t necessarily hate.
But the biggest and funniest performance of the night is given by Keevin Carter as director Roger De Bris. Hilariously accompanied by Tim Jefferies as his “common law assistant” Carmen Ghia, Carter becomes the audience favourite. King of uncomfortable comedy and exuberantly charming, when Carter is on the stage you just can’t help but smile. His big production number, “Keep it Gay”, is filled with flamboyant charm, not to mention a subtle nod to The Village People I found hilarious.
I doubt that Carter ever thought he’d ever see himself playing Adolf Hitler, for whom he doubles in the second act. The idea of casting Carter as Der Führer is ridiculous, and as a result it’s one of the greatest pieces of casting ever on the Peterborough stage. The last time Hitler was this entertaining was when Charlie Chaplin played him in The Great Dictator. Carter’s tremendous performance may be one of my favourites of 2015.
More shout outs go to the flawless orchestra, led by musical director Justin Hiscox, that becomes the unseen crux of the show. Also worth noting are the charming bird puppets in the first act, the elaborate costume worn by the girls in the “Springtime for Hitler” number, and the creative use of projection throughout the production. These nice little touches add class and comedy to the show.
For the most part, The Producers is a good production that went far beyond all my personal expectations. It’s well cast, well directed, entertaining, and performed with zeal and enthusiasm.
However, there’s something in this production that’s sure to offend everybody. Although I’m neither prudish nor sensitive to bad taste, even I was offended once or twice. The show is filled with unsubtle sexual humour that’s uncharacteristic of the usual St. James Players fare. Ranging from lighthearted sexual role play with old ladies to a vulgar sex joke, the sexual humour is unsubtle, often outdated, and not recommended for young audiences.
Furthermore, Third Reich humour is par for the course in The Producers; if this subject makes you uncomfortable, be warned you can’t escape it. That said, it is brilliant satire in the Mel Brooks style and, once again, Keevin Carter’s performance as Adolph Hitler is something you have to see to believe. Also, you will go away with “Springtime For Hitler” stuck in your head. I’ve been singing it all day and it’s a very uncomfortable ear worm.
The Producers is not for everyone, but if you can handle a little bit of offensive comedy and love a big fun satire, it’s a surprisingly great show. You will be entertained. Tim Jefferies and his company should be congratulated in their gutsy move of getting the St. James Players to go far beyond their safe comfort zone and put on what is, without a doubt, the ballsiest show they’ve ever done. It’ll be interesting to see what they follow up with next!
The Producers runs from November 13th to 21st at Showplace Performance Centre. Shows start at 8 p.m., with 2 p.m. matinees on November 15th and 21st. Tickets are $26 for adults, $23 for seniors and $16 for students and are available at Showplace.
All photos by Sam Tweedle / kawarthaNOW
