Ah, The Producers – this iconic Mel Brooks film-turned-musical probably needs no introduction, but we’ll give it a quick one anyway. This classic comedy tells the tale of two failing Broadway creatives who conspire to create a flop show and run away with the money raised to fund it – but complications arise when their tribute to Adolf Hitler is a surprise success. The film was originally a hit way back in 1967; in 2001 it became a runaway success on Broadway, picking up a record-breaking 12 Tony Awards.
We’re delighted that a revival of this classic show is opening on the West End in September, with previews from 30th August, following a run at the Menier Chocolate Factory earlier this year. Ahead of the West End transfer we caught up with Trevor Ashley, who is reprising the role of director Roger DeBris in the show, following the Menier production. You may have caught Trevor a couple of years ago on World of Wonder’s Queen of the Universe show, where he finished in second place on the drag competition judged by Trixie Mattel, Michelle Visage, Mel B and Vanessa Williams.
We’ve already given the show a quick intro – what can you tell us about your character, Roger DeBris? “Roger is apparently the worst director on Broadway,” Trevor begins. “Basically, they hire him to ruin the show Springtime for Hitler, but unfortunately for them, he turns Springtime for Hitler into a giant hit. Roger also happens to be a massive homosexual, so it’s a fabulous, outrageous monster of a character! All the production team live with him, he has a long-suffering boyfriend, he’s just a showbiz animal who is hilariously camp and very insecure. It’s a lot of fun to play!”
Other than it sounds like an absolute gift of a role – what drew you to Roger? “I’ve always loved the show – I saw the original Broadway show 25 years ago, it had only just opened, and of course I just fell in love with the entire show. I’d never heard any of the songs because the cast recording hadn’t been released, so the whole thing was a giant surprise. I always thought, ‘ooh I’ve got to play Roger DeBris one day, I’ve got to play this role!’ – I get to be so outrageous, the Mel Brooks style is just hysterically funny… but also because in act two, when I get my little surprise turn having to go on in my own musical, it seals the deal for me.”
You’ve already had the sold-out, critically-acclaimed run at the Menier Chocolate Factory… can we expect any changes for the West End run? “Oh the Menier was fantastic, it was so special – it’s so intimate, we could touch the front row, it was terrifyingly close! I absolutely loved doing it there, we had so many laughs and it was so fantastic. Now to do it here at the Garrick, scaled up even bigger and better, it’s going to be really exciting. It’s exciting to see some of the numbers that have had a glow up for the West End! And there’s lots of new costumers and a much bigger set, all of that, which is wonderful.”
I was looking at the creatives involved, there’s so much talent there – what’s it been like working with this team? “It’s so special, Lorin Latarro has come from Broadway, choreographing us – she’s so brilliant, and she runs from us straight over to do the new Broadway revival of Chess… Scott Pask just came off designing the sets for George Clooney’s Broadway debut and comes to us to do this. Paul Farnsworth, who’s so clever… I mean he did all of Dame Edna’s gowns, so I love that he’s doing my gowns now! It’s an incredible team – all the actors are brilliant.”
You’ve had a bit of a gap between the Menier run of The Producers and the forthcoming West End run… how have you been keeping yourself busy? “I went home to Australia and did my show Moulin Scrooge, which is my piss take of Moulin Rouge of course! I went home and did that in Sydney and Melbourne, and then I did my run of my new show Tipsy – which is my Liza Minelli-does-Gypsy show – at the Menier, I did a sold out run there. And then I went to Greece, and lay down for a long time! As I hadn’t really stopped, so actually had a proper break, like a ‘do nothing and lie on the beach’ holiday, so that was nice.”
So why should GAY TIMES readers come along to The Producers? “Well look – as I sing in the show – keep it gay, keep it gay, keep it gay! Look, it’s so brilliant, we had a lot of the LGBTQ+ community come and see the show at the Menier, and they absolutely loved it, they roared… I went to see Patti Lupone’s concert when she was here in London and I got mobbed in the foyer because everyone had just seen The Producers! So if you like Patti Lupone, you’ll obviously really like The Producers! It’s such a fabulous show, really irreverent, slightly wrong, but in all the right ways… and to see me dressed as the Chrysler Building, it’s worth it!”
The Producers opens at The Garrick Theatre on 15th September with previews from 30th August. More information can be found here.
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