The Producers Review
Reviewed by Amanda Jackson - Hawkes Bay Today
HILARIOUS: Every line is clear, every joke, innuendo, insult and criminal intent is milked for all its worth without being laborious
Wickedly funny show slick, sassy
Napier Operatic Society
Directed by Joanne Stevens and Margot Minett
April 10-May 3 2008, Tabard Theatre
THIS is way better entertainment than the film. This exudes energy and sparkle and showcases talent and experience at the top end of its game. This is an irresistible performance that maintains its high standard throughout and is simply the funniest theatrical show I've seen for years.
Absolutely everything is thought of, not a moment is flat, every detail has been attended to and the stage is full to bursting with interest.
The material is wonderful, irreverent and wickedly funny, a very politically incorrect parody of everything the creator, Mel Brooks, felt needed to be said about many aspects of show business and the like. Newly anointed directors Joanne Stevens and Margot Minett have given this score masterly treatment and breathed an extraordinary life into it. The cast, without a single exception, reflect their dedication.
Every line is clear, every joke, innuendo, insult and criminal intent is milked for all its worth without being laborious. The movement and dance sequences are fresh and hilarious and the highly physical close encounters work without a hitch and are perfectly choreographed. There is action seen everywhere and to their credit, no-one dropped out of character for a single moment, performing little gems throughout.
This is side-splitting stuff, particularly pieces such as the rooftop of a Greenwich Village, with Peter Austin, pigeons and all, when I thought I'd never stop laughing, and the show- stopping Spring Time For Hitler with the whole chorus camping it up, and Aaron Ward as Hitler camping it up like a pro.
Jeff Foley and Chris Atkinson sustain the main narrative with professional skill, adapting to the huge range of demands on their talents in dance, song and dialogue, complementing the gorgeous numbers that bring in the other scandalous characters and comic pieces.
Daniel Smith created a fantastic Carmen, Edina McFarland as the sensuous Swedish dancer was lovely and the smaller roles were slick and sassy, beautifully timed and infectious with humour.
A couple of lighting glitches saw dead areas and the shirts turned yellow momentarily but those were minor concerns in an otherwise overwhelmingly entertaining night where the sets are vibrant, the costumes stunning, the hair and make-up glamorous - and the pure courage to wear those shorts, worthy of a medal.
Tabard does the hospitality well and has furnished the whole evening with the trimmings of a real occasion to celebrate a winner that is much more than a simple musical comedy.
If you go expecting the best you won't be disappointed. Just don't miss it.
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