Review: The Producers, The Regent Theatre, Hanley

According to The Producers the way to make serious money from a theatrical production is by staging an almightly flop.

If that was truly the case then North Staffordshire Operatic Society are set to be disappointed with their latest musical, as it's anything but.

The opening night of The Producers at Hanley's Regent Theatre attracted an audience that looked to be around half-full, which is more than plenty of professional, touring productions.

And this was despite the tickets being priced at £12, £16 and £18, also on a par with some professional productions.

It has to be said that the production got off to a slow start, partly due to the microphones appearing to be switched off completely for the first scene and other sound problems throughout the first half, including a high-pitched screech just before the interval.

But this had been dealt with by the second half, and it was easier to make out the dialogue from where I was sitting in the circle.

Once in full swing, The Producers was fast-paced and very entertaining, with comic characters played well by this locally-based amateur cast.

Jon Bott and Tom Pear starred as crooked producer Max Bailystock and hapless accountant Leo Bloom, together acting, singing and dancing their way through most of the action.

They were joined by Catherine O'Reilly as Ula, Tony O'Rourke as Roger DeBris, Edward Stokes as Carmen and a very funny Thomas Davies as Franz Liebkind.

The sets were elaborate and were moved slickly and seamlessly. This element of the show was perhaps the most impressive for me, and credit is definitely due to those responsible.

If you're unfamiliar with the plot of The Producers, it involves the Broadway show Springtime For Hitler deliberately created to be a failure.

The producers hatch a plot to put on the all-singing, all-dancing, swastika-draped homage to Hitler and his Reich, fully expecting to make a killing when it bombs.

It sounds in bad taste, but it's actually hilarious and you have to remember that it's author, Mel Brooks, is Jewish.

And, believe me, Nazi stormtroompers tap dancing across The Regent's stage is quite a sight to behold.

So well done North Staffs Operatic Society for bringing something a little different to Hanley, and staging it so professionally.

The Producers is at The Regent Theatre, Hanley, until November 7 at 7.30pm nightly, with Saturday matinee at 2.30pm.