REVIEW | The Producers, Teatre Tivoli Barcelona
Written by Laura
Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom hatch a wild plan to produce the worst Broadway musical ever so they can run away with the money after the show inevitably gets cancelled. To achieve this, they must find the worst possible script, director, and actors, and ensure that everything goes as badly as possible.
Created by Mel Brooks, the original production opened on Broadway in 2001, earning several awards, including Tony Awards, Grammys, and Laurence Olivier Awards. This specific production was created by Àngel Llàcer and Manu Guix, one of Spain’s most prolific duos, known for staging shows like La Cage Aux Folles, Little Shop of Horrors, or Singing in the Rain.
Admittedly, this was my first time seeing the show and hearing the score, but I knew I wouldn’t be disappointed.
Regarding the set design, there was a cleverly thought-out platform that gave the stage two different dimensions to play with, along with some dynamic pieces allowing for seamless transitions between scenes. The costumes were also remarkable; a cute detail during the opening scene, you could see costumes from previous productions by Llàcer and Guix, such as a tiny Audrey II, Zaza’s ballgown, or the infamous singing in the rain raincoat. It was a nice nod to those of us who are regular theatre-goers!
The main cast is as solid as it gets. Armando Pita and Ricky Mata form a hilarious Max and Leo duo. Àngel Llàcer, as usual, outdid himself, this time playing Roger De Bacle; he has a great funny moment where he interacts with the audience and had everyone cackling. I want to highlight Raúl Maro, who had the public hysterical with his Carmen.
Overall, I really liked the score, and the musicians were incredible as well. Perhaps some of the reprises got a bit repetitive after a while, but overall, I enjoyed the songs, especially the choreography and staging of them.
The Producers was a wonderfully fun time, and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to have a good time and enjoy a show with great production value. This show is in Spanish, so if you speak the language or have seen the show in English before, I recommend you give it a go!
The show will be closing in Barcelona the 4th of February, but only because it’s transferring to Madrid. You’ll be able to see it at Teatro Alcalá from the 5th of March.
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
