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Current ProductionsHaving successfully transfered to Theatre Severn with their sell out production of A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum Mad Cow Productions is currently working on: Move Over Mrs Markham the hilarious farce by John Chapman and Ray Cooney. The Producers the fantastic Comedy Musical by Mel Brookes See the Box Office Page for ticket details. |
Move Over Mrs Markham
Dates: 30th of September to the 2nd of October 2010
One of the famous Whitehall comedies that ran for years in London’s West End. Move Over Mrs Markham is a hilarious farce with all that genre’s characteristics well displayed. As you would expect there is much going in and out of many doors (with split second timing), many mistaken and assumed identities, unwanted visitors, misunderstandings and improbable situations, exaggerated characters, and slapstick elements all used for humorous effect.
In short an evening full of laughter.
The Story
The play is set in a very elegant top floor London flat, belonging to Philip and Joanna Markham. On the ground floor Philip, a straight-laced publisher of children's books, shares an office with his partner, Henry Lodge. Philip is asked by Henry, if he can borrow the flat for the evening to his 'entertain' his latest girlfriend. As Philip and his wife will be out, he reluctantly agrees. At the same time, Joanna Markham is being persuaded by Linda Lodge, to let her borrow the empty flat in order to entertain her would be lover. With some misgivings, Joanna agrees. What nobody knows is that the Interior Designer, Alistair Spenlow, who has been decorating the flat for the past three months, has decided that this is the night that he and the au pair girl will try out the new oval bed.
When the Markham’s evening out is cancelled, it is too late to let any of the parties know and three sets of hopeful lovers all converge on the bedroom at the same time. The situation is further complicated by the arrival of Olive Harriet Smythe, a straight laced. no sex please, authoress of children's books. The frantic efforts of the Markham’s to hide the amorous goings-on and, at the same time sign up Miss Smythe, lead to a hectic and hilarious evening. Not surprisingly, chaos and confusion ensue!
The Producers
Dates: 19th to the 21st of May 2011
Winner of a record 12 Tony Awards THE PRODUCERS is: Outrageous, hilarious, a teeny bit shocking, off the wall, but never, never boring! You will find yourself holding your sides with laughter as Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom sing and dance their way through the greatest show biz scam that there ever was!
THE PRODUCERS the musical was an idea that Mel Brooks resisted for many years. Finally David Geffen "the most persuasive, smartest guy that ever lived" persuaded him that a stage version of the show would add to the legacy of the classic cult film, on which it is based, not detract from it. Convinced Mel wrote the score and the rest is Musical Theatre history.
The Story
Set in New York, where Max Bialystock was once the king of Broadway, but now all his shows close on opening night. Things turn around when he's visited by the neurotic accountant Leo Bloom, who proposes a scheme tailor-made for producers who can only make flops: raise far more money than you need, then make sure the show is despised. No one will be interested in it, so you can pocket the surplus. To this end, they produce a musical called Springtime for Hitler written by escaped Nazi Franz Liebken. Then they get the insanely flamboyant Roger De Bris to direct. Finally, they hire as a lead actress the loopy Swedish bombshell Ulla (whose last name has over 15 syllables). As opening night draws near, what could possibly go wrong?
