In November The Producers returned to the London stage for the first time in 20 years, with Patrick Marber at the helm. It was his first time directing a musical and he had to be vetted by Mel Brooks, the creator of the 1967 film and the 2001 musical that tell the story of the crooked producer Max Bialystock and his accountant pet, Leo Bloom. They hatch a money-making scheme to stage a surefire flop—Springtime for Hitler: A Gay Romp with Adolf and Eva at Berchtesgaden—then are undone when it becomes a hit. The last production starred Nathan Lane and Lee Evans, ran for 920 performances in the West End, and won three Olivier awards, including for Best Musical. This time, the swastika will dance across the bijou stage of the Menier Chocolate Factory, though you wouldn’t bet against a West End transfer in springtime. —Alice Jones