Who would have thought that seeing The Producers could be a spiritually enlightening experience? A show that mercilessly pokes fun at every conceivable minority group still somehow manages to leave the audience with genuine joy, rather than mere cheap laughs. The sublime one-liners certainly help, (“Can I take your hat? Your coats? Your swastikas?”) but ultimately, The Producers is a story of redemption. When we first encounter Max Bialystock, he is a mess; a selfish, lecherous, swindling failure. As for Leo Bloom, he is timid, subservient and awkward, an accountant who aspires improbably to producing a Broadway musical. But through their friendship, both men are changed and ultimately redeemed. Their duet “’Til Him” makes it clear that this relationship has transformed them both. Of course, they must both serve a prison sentence for their dishonesty, and there is never a guarantee that all will live happily ever after (the surreal ending to Blazing Saddles shows that anything is possible in a Mel Brooks script). However, the curtain comes down with Bialystock and Bloom walking, together, into the sunset and a golden future of hit musicals. Redeemed through relationship. What a wonderful illustration of how a man can be transformed through a relationship with his creator.

This entry was posted on Sunday, November 27th, 2005 at 6:21 pmand is filed under MPH Competition.