Did anyone hate "the Producers"
 

I purchased excellent tickets for Producers for my husband and 25 year old daughter who were spending a few days in NYC; I have not seen it myself but from everything I had read it seemed like a sure bet, sort of a "must see" on Broadway;

well, they said they almost left half way through; they stayed and told me they did not understand what all the fuss was about, they were not impressed.

Of course, since I'm the one who bought the tickets and sent them there, I am perplexed; are they crazy for not loving it ?

No, you and they are not crazy...though you all are probably in a small minority.
Still, speaking as one who loved the show, I really don't think it's crime not to like it. (Hey, I hated Annie. Does that make me a bad person?) The unfortunate part is that you spent your money to treat them to the show and they didn't like it.

I saw it April '03 and thought it VG.
Full disclosure: my former spouse of nearly 28 years was a Busby Berkeley "fanatic".
M

Thanks for your replies; I got more feedback on their views this morning and I understand a bit better why they were not wowed ......
they admired the decor and acting but the homophobic nature of the scenario is not something that amuses us that much anymore or makes us burst out laughing......

We loved La Cage aux Folles but that is a classic in its genre-

Whoa......"the homophobic nature of the scenario"? The "scenario" is hardly homophobic....if anything, the story is the exact opposite. Could you mean your family's attitudes?

We saw it last summer. I was expecting not to like it, but was very pleasantly surprised. It was very good. Fun, funny. It is typical Mel Brooks humor (Blazing Saddles) and not everyone relates to that. It is rather irreverant and knocks everybody. They had a few blatant gay scenes but were mostly tasteful. But there are many sexual referances, both hetero and homo. But mostly "poking" fun (like my pun?). But like I said, not for everyone.

Sorry that they walked out. That is very disappointing when you have given someone a gift, that they choose to show you in such an obvious way how much they don't like it. I think I would have stuck it out, just to be polite. Can't imagine it was that bad.

Good arguement for thoroughly researching something before you buy. You must have known that they were sensitive to this kind of humor? Can save much money in the future. Lesson learned, post here BEFORE you buy the tickets.

Did they see any other productions while there?

I didn't like it. Not because I was offended. Just because I thought it was corny and overdone.

Are you sure they went to see The Producers??? Calling it homophobic is an odd reason to dislike it since it is a farce or satirical piece. The central plot is a show glorifying Hitler, for heaven's sake, so that should be the tip off that it isn't time to be earnest and just enjoy the farce and satire.

Homophobic? Considering Nathan Lane, one of Broadways biggest flamers, won a Tony for his reprisal makes me think your family saw another show.

I am so totally lost about this homophobic nature of the scenario. Doesn't make sense to me.
Even tho I didn't see the play on Broadway, I did see the touring show at The Fox Theatre in Atlanta, and I was certainly entertained.
After the show, all of the actors were outside taking up donations for Aids research to which we contributed.

You must remember that Mel Brooks wrote the original movie with Zero Mostel...and his reason for writing was to make fun of Hitler and the Nazis, to ridicule them. We saw the play in Boston last year and thought it was brilliant ( Lane was not in it) and during the second act when they do a Buzby Berkeley bit with the Nazis dancing in the shape of a swatstika we gasped..it was so outrageous and so Mel Brooks. If you listened closely you hear Mel Brooks reciting a line during the show. As the way a few gays were portrayed it was as over the top as the rest of the play.. Perhaps your daughter and your husband did not understand where Mel Brooks was coming from and had not seen his movie which is a classic or perhaps or could appreciate his wild satire of Hitler and the Nazis... Normally I don't pay that high a price to see theatre, but it was worth every single cent.

You acted out of kindness; they didn't like it. Focus on the good you tried to do rather than the recipient's displeasure.

Maybe when homophobic was typed, the word intended was homocentric.

Anyway, The Producers closed several months early in Toronto, where audiences did not go home and tell their friends they should buy tickets, too.

BAK

Let's face it, if you've never seen a musical production with a number like, "Springtime for Hitler," then you might be offended enough to walk out.

I thought the show was ok, but couldn't understand the "wow" factor from so many people. I think 42nd st. is still a "wow" show. The Producers and Chicago were not.

There is no law everyone has to enjoy everything -- just leave seats for the rest of us who loved it.

BUT - homophobic??? That is simply nutty. Maybe they wanted to do something else in the city and just told you that ;-)

Mel Brooks...what can I say..when the movie "Blazing Saddles" came out, I thought it was hilarious.

My sister, on the other hand, left the movie and thought it was horrible.

Just goes to show we all like different things, don't we?

I saw the Producers and enjoyed it but was not overwhelmed. There are other shows I liked a lot better, but then there are other shows I've seen that were a lot worse. I don't understand the "homophobic" remark but maybe I missed something.

I would probably not go to see the show because I saw the movie and realized that it wouldn't have been to my particular taste -- which runs to things that are less broad (as in wide and blatant, not as in female) humor, less over-the-top Brooks stuff (much as I loved Young Frankenstein), and less aren't-we-great-on-Broadway (despite the supposed anti-Broadway satire of the show).

I think there is a class of musicals that are most loved by those who frequent Broadway shows -- those shows that are so self-referential (word?) that you have to have experienced and loved a lot of Broadway fantasy to get their full impact. Chicago and Cage Aux Folles certainly fall into that category, while something like Chorus Line -- even though it was about Broadway -- had a tang that didn't require you to have been thrilled with the Big Shows to appreciate it.

When people come from out of town and go to see a Broadway Show, because they've heard that's the thing to do, they may not be ready for the way some shows present the world. Sometimes they're uncomfortable with the urbanity or ethnicity, sometimes the presence of sexuality in forms they don't approve of, sometimes the language, sometimes something else -- even something as simple as the decibel level.

I'm guessing your husband and daughter would have responded better to a less "in-joke" kind of show, possibly one of the Disney-based ones or, certainly, Movin' Out. But no, they aren't crazy for not loving Producers. You can have very good taste and not love the Producers. Still, I'm sorry you're out the money.

Maybe in this production they inflated that aspect, Antlori.
I remember one of my favorite novelas written by Thomas Mann, "A death in Venice." Mann said, it seemed (about the boy flirting with him in his mind)
In the film, directed by Visconti, a brilliant gay director, It was. so it's all interprutation. Two actors doing the same role always bring something new in aspect(or diminish)the role. But they both can be valid performances.

It would be a very boring world if we all liked the same thing. I did not care for The Lion King at all and millions obviously do .. so what .. it just proves we are all different which is a very good thing :-) I thought The Producers was funny - a little over the top perhaps but funny just the same.

Trrue, otherwise we would not have the different types of music we hear as well as theater we watch or for that matter Tv. Hate? Love? the sopranos?

We didn't "appreciate" Rent for the script (which won a Pulitzer), though found the music, production, etc. phenomenal (and we thoroughly enjoyed the performance of Carrie Hamilton in Boston); we thought Les Miz a huge snooze and left after intermission; we found Lion King whoppingly overrated (saw all the best parts on TV, soundtrack fabulous) and dark and dreary, and left after intermission; the most recent production of Cabaret made us even more uncomfortable than the movie and the Broadway show decades ago.

We LOVED The Producers.

I would guess that your level of enjoyment of some shows is directly proportionate to your open-mindedness.

Sort of like Oprah's "book club". The selections were dark and disturbing, but also uplifting and redeeming.

Wow djk......how nice to come home from a long day and see my darling Carrie in your post. Damn, I will always miss that girl. Funny, she was in my dinner conversation this evening....talkining about our final trip to Gunnison Colorado.........sending her off..........hmmmmm!? Angel!

Thank you all for your comments; I will definitely see it myself after the holidays.

I think there has to be some advance knowledge before seeing certain shows ; possibly they were both not in the right frame of mind that night.

I don't care that I've spent the money, I was just perplexed since everyone I know loved it . Reading through the posts above, I understand better.
Your comments are very much appreciated.

mitchdesj, I must commend you for your reaction to the comments on this thread. Oh, that your open mind were more contageous in the world!

HpwardR, thank you for posting my thoughts as well.

Mitchdesj
First, relax. Since when everyone has to like the same things. I didn't care for "42 nd Street"and many people love this musical. So what?

Most posters on this board like NO and I did not care for it. Most posters on this board do not care for Oklahoma City and we loved it.
Many years ago all students hated our math teacher and I adored her. I could go on and on.

See, it just goes to show that everything is subjective. Isn't that what makes life so interesting? Me, I absolutely loved the Producers, but I love anything by Mel Brooks. You have to appreciate his sense of humor, if you don't, you won't get it and will most likely think it is in porr taste. And that's OK. To each his own.

We are going to see it in Dec and I can't wait. In fact, I kept on singing the" springtime for Hitler and Germany" song, while I was power walking.....what a classic! My fave Mel Brooks is "Young Frankenstein"....one of the best comedies ever :-D!

I recently watched Mel's "Blazing Saddles" which I had never seen all the way through....wow , you couldn't make that movie today ! Bold comedy...

Loved Les Miz so much we saw it twice and while in London saw Phantom among other plays....Let me just say I probably slept through Phantom..I am among those people who think Webber is a fraud.....Give me Sondheim...any day..Have not seen Rent or Tommy...in Contact I was floored by the strong sexual dancing in the first set...wow.. One of the things that we in the Boston area and for thoe people where there are "road companies" must watch out for now is musicals coming through with non-Equity actors, but with Broadway prices. My husband and I support off-Broadway theatre here like the Lyric, Merrimac, Foothills and the new theatre in the South End. Paying $100.00 a seat to see non-Equity at outrageous prices is not in our budget. We would rather go to NYC and buy discount seats for what we would like to see. We've even had the opportunity of flying to London Thanksgiving evening several times for a week of theatre. If you keep in mind that musical theatre is an purely American art form.

I wouldnt say I hated it....I just fell asleep during it.Perhaps that was due to too much wine with dinner,though.

MIL and I loved it, hubby and FIL weren't as wowwed. I love Mel Brooks humor. Just wished we had seen it with Nathan Lane;;)

Capri767 that reminds of a time six of us went for a wonderful dinner that included wine and then we went to see a local production of something or other...All six of us fell asleep....during the play...The other playgoers were giggling as we woke each other up before we started snoring...

One of the funniest movies I've ever seen was a Mel Brooks movie that had a "Psycho" spoof in it. I don't remember the name but I still remember the shower scene with Gene Wilder (I think) getting flailed with a newspaper and I think Mel Brooks shouting "Here's your paper, here's your paper, here's your paper."

antlori, that movie was "High Anxiety" and it spoofed several Hitchcock movies including "Psycho", "The Birds", "Vertigo", and others. Great Mel Brooks work with Cloris Leachman, Madeline Kahn, Harvey Korman, and others, many of whom appeared in "Blazing Saddles" and "Young Frankenstein". BTW, saw "The Producers" twice in NY and loved it both times.

Thanks, doxungirl, I was trying to remember the name of that movie all night! It's still one of my favorites.

My girlfriend and I went to see "The Producers" in Boston, and, although Nathan and Matthew weren't in it, we thought it was hilarious. On the other hand my husband and I saw "Lost in Translation" and thought it was one of the worst movies ever. To each his own!:)