Irving Stage Company at the Theatre Royal with production of ‘The Producers’ next month

The Irving Stage Company return to Theatre Royal, in Bury St Edmunds, next month, with the stage version of the classic 1968 film about two hapless producers trying to make a fortune by putting on the worst show ever seen, Mel Brooks’ hilarious musical comedy The Producers

Failed Broadway impresario Max Bialystock is impoverished by a string of flops when he meets timid accountant and wannabe producer, Leo Bloom. Together they hatch a plan to make their fortune by putting on a sure-fire flop – finding the worst script, director and cast possible, they hope to raise two million dollars from gullible little old ladies.

Fortune seems to be on their side when they come across Springtime for Hitler, an all-singing, all-dancing love-letter to the dictator in the worst possible taste. With everything in place the curtain rises on the show, but disaster is waiting in the wings for Max and Leo.

Max Bialystock is played by Nic Metcalfe, Leo Bloom by George Lane, Franz Liebkind is Ben Child, and Jeremy Warbrick plays the outrageously camp director Roger de Bris. All four of these performers will be familiar to Theatre Royal audiences from recent Irving productions including Sister Act, Oklahoma! and 9 to 5 The Musical.

Joining the company are newcomers Jessica Hughes as Max’s secretary, the beautiful Swede Ulla Inga Hansen Benson Yansen Tallen Hallen Svaden Swanson, and Tom Menarry as Roger De Bris’ flamboyant assistant Carmen Ghia. The Producers will be directed by Sian Couture, with choreography by Glen Conner and the musical director is Nicola Brazier.

Tickets for the show, which runs from Tuesday to Saturday, March 13 to 17, are on sale at the Box Office, call 01284 769505, book online at www.theatreroyal.org/shows/the-producers or visit the theatre in person.